


my dear, there is no danger

by sleeponrooftops



Category: Captain America, Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Language, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-12
Updated: 2011-10-12
Packaged: 2017-10-30 15:03:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/333032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeponrooftops/pseuds/sleeponrooftops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Who would run for cover?  Who would run from us?</i>  Textbook narcissism.  Agreed.  We need you.  Howard Stark had a son, Anthony.  I have had a crush on you since I was six.  Consultant.  I have no respect.  Iron Man does.  What is in your chest?  What are you?  Not a heart.  I am <i>Tony Stark</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	my dear, there is no danger

**Author's Note:**

> Hello discrepancies!
> 
> i – Originally, I was going to completely screw up everything, but then I had a better idea. That said, I still changed some things. Like only Steve knows that Tony is Iron Man up until, well, three scenes in, I guess. I’m using the whole Loki-controls-Hulk plot for probably the entirety of this.
> 
> ii – Copying this (almost) directly from the _distance notes_ : ii – A long, long time ago in a faraway land, I read a lot of the comics. But that was when I was eight, nine, and ten, and it’s been nearly a decade since I last picked up one, and so I work purely off of the movies because that is what is present and immediate in my life now, so I apologize for any discrepancies, minor or major.
> 
> NOTICABLE ONES: I - I simply cannot keep up with what Tony has in his chest, so, for the sake of my sanity, he has the arc reactor because, well, just because. I have no other reason than I think it’s insanely cool-looking and it gives wonderful shy scene ideas to me. (Also, on this note, in regards to the way later hospital scene, just… go with it, okay? I know it’s not very realistic, but I like how it worked out.)
> 
> II – Stark Industries, what the hell. I confuse myself all the time when I write Jarvis/Tony scenes, but they’re always my favorite, so please bear with my terrible knowledge of everything. Oh, and Tony is still in charge. Whatever.
> 
> iii – I screwed up the Tony/Pepper thing, obviously, so all movie mess-ups that-wise should be ignored. Everything else pretty much happened as it was supposed to. EXCEPT FOR, Tony figuring out the new element switch from the palladium. That is going to come during this oneshot. So just, for the sake of things, pretend he’s not smart (which is stupid).
> 
> iv – I was telling Katie about the beginning of this, and she was like, oh, they have to go save Tony in London? You mean that fourteen-hour-flight? I glared. I said it was the quinjet so whatever. She countered, so that seven-hour flight? I glared again. I said the quinjet had super-speed powers or something. She smirked, so that three-hour flight? BASICALLY, ignore that, please. I just needed Tony somewhere far away, but then that screwed up the whole getting to him on time thing.
> 
> v – On ages, Tony is 40, Steve is “23”, Peter is 19 (deal with it), and everyone else is the usual.
> 
> I think that’s it? Hopefully.
> 
> Stolen inspirations: [sleepy!sex](http://sexdrugsand.livejournal.com/7779.html), [bathtub scene](http://gryzmolic.tumblr.com/post/10549839131), [aggressive cuddling](http://ironfries.tumblr.com/post/11133951929/aggressive-cuddling-8), so much from [this lovely list](http://-lazarus.tumblr.com/masterlist).

Tony looks up, frowning.

 

“Busy today?” he asks the arm-crossed Pepper, who, in turn, narrows her eyes even more at him.  He’s tempted to make a remark about whether she can actually see or not, but he decides against it, being rather fond of his manhood and life.  “Am I supposed to be apologizing for something?”  He sets down the circuit board to give Pepper his full attention, and she clenches her hands around the folder.

 

Finally, she speaks, “Nick has been asking for you all afternoon.  Why does Jarvis keep projecting the image that you’re not down here?”

 

“And _that_ is why I love you.  What would I ever do without your cunning genius?  I think it’s because he only has one eye, personally.”

 

“He _knows_ you’re down here,” she snaps, squashing that theory, “He’s trying to give you the benefit of the doubt.”

 

“People always do that, and they’re _always_ left disappointed.”

 

“Tony,” Pepper sighs, “At least you’re part of it.”

 

“I’m a goddamn _consultant_.  No one respects me.  They all think I’m just some genius civilian with a deep pocket.”

 

“What do you want Nick to do?  Tell them you’re Iron Man?”

 

“That would be nice!” Tony exclaims, standing and pacing over to an open box.

 

“Can you even imagine what kind of uproar that would cause?”

 

“ _They_ would want me on the team.”

 

Pepper frowns, watching him sift through the box until she takes the hint and clicks out.  When she’s gone, Tony sighs and stands, rubbing his chest.  Jarvis says something about blood toxicity, and Tony nods absentmindedly before going back to his desk and chugging the rest of his concoction.  He knows he should be upstairs, packing and saying his goodbyes to Steve, but he hasn’t been able to leave the lab without the want to destroy everything in sight.

 

“Sir,” Jarvis says, but Tony ignores him, instead sitting in agony.  He attaches a patch to his wrist, and he listens to his heart work harder and harder to stay alive while he lets the charring palladium destroy him.  It would be so easy.

 

“Tony!”  Tony gasps out a breath and rushes to remove the damaged piece of the reactor while his other hand fumbles for the new one.  “Still trying to kill yourself?” Nick says, coming over, “I’ve been looking for you.”  Tony grunts.  “Be good this weekend, alright?” Nick sighs, “No funny business.”

 

“Got it, boss.”

 

“Tony—”

 

“Save the daddy lecture, Fury.  I still hate you.”

 

He flashes Nick a wide and false smile before pulling himself up and heading out, fixing his black t-shirt as he goes.  He takes the elevator to the second floor where his room is, two floors above the basement levels where the Avengers’ different specialty rooms (and his lab) reside.  Steve is inside, curled up on the windowsill and drawing.  Tony smiles despite his mood and goes over to nuzzle Steve’s neck.  “You may be able to sneak up on me, but you reek of the lab,” Steve murmurs.  “You’ve been ignoring Nick.”

 

“Yea,” Tony mumbles.

 

“He’s been harassing me.”

 

“Just flex your muscles at him.  It scares me,” Tony remarks, leaving Steve to pull a suitcase from his closet and dump it on the bed.

 

“It turns you on, actually,” Steve corrects.  They fall into a comfortable silence, Steve shading and Tony packing.

 

Three months after Steve was thawed, they happened.  Tony had been coming home early one night, mostly sober and staring strangely at the text from Steve.  How he’d even managed to text was what had baffled him first, but then there was the message, _Need help.  Jarvis tried to kill me.  Stuck in lab._ Tony normally wouldn’t have cared, but this was _Steve Rogers_.  He’d had a crush on him since he was six, a crush that had blown into a disturbingly large infatuation when Steve first moved into the Avengers’ mansion.

 

And so here he was, putting his fingers to the recognition pad and sighing over Steve, who was sitting in the middle of the armor ground.  The armor itself was put together in front of him.  Steve was still the only one that knew.  That was also the day Jarvis had programmed Steve’s prints for the door and the day Steve admitted his feelings.

 

“Where are you going again?” Steve asks as Tony snaps his suitcase shut.

 

“London.  I think I won something.”  Steve smirks.  Tony makes his way over to Steve, rolling his eyes when his mobile rings.  “Pepper, I was just about to seduce Steve.”

 

“Too bad.  We’re leaving.”

 

“Why?  The jet isn’t going anywhere.”

 

“Yes, it is.  Stop being a brat,” Steve says, pushing Tony away.  “Come on, we can make out in the elevator.”  Tony grumbles but relents.  When he tries to push the emergency stop button, Steve threatens to snap him in half.  They make it to the garage without too much more trouble.  And when Tony is gone, Steve stands in the garage for a few moments before going to find Thor and see if he wants to box.

 

\--

 

Tony smiles at the waitress before returning his gaze to Pepper.  She’s going over their schedule for that night, and he half-listens, most of his attention drawn to the beautiful landscape around them.  Their lunch is simple, and the conversation eventually drifts to something he can participate in.  It’s as he’s signing the bill that it happens.

 

His pen slips when the table shakes, and Tony looks up, brow furrowed.  “There aren’t supposed to be any storms today,” Pepper says curiously.  “Maybe they’re doing construction.”  Tony doubts that, but he finishes his signature and collects his jacket nonetheless.  A sudden, growling roar rips the quiet atmosphere, and Tony’s eyes widen.  He _knows_ that voice.

 

“Pepper,” he says calmly as people start looking around.  He helps Pepper with her jacket as the ground shakes beneath them.

 

“ _Iron Man_ ,” another familiar voice sings, “Come out, come out wherever you are.”

 

“Pepper.  Car.  Now,” He hisses, grabbing her hand and pulling her off.  He digs in his pocket for his mobile with the other, hitting speed dial three.

 

“Tony?” Steve answers on the fifth ring and as they’re exiting the restaurant.  “You just—”

 

“Steve, where’s Thor?” he cuts him off.

 

“Right next to me, why?”

 

“His brother is in London.  _With Bruce_.”

 

“Do you have the suit?” he asks immediately, and Tony just adores him, “Thor.  Thor, Loki is in London.  Inform the others.  I’m going to power up the quinjet and get my suit.  I want everyone assembled in fifteen minutes.  Tony, we’ll be there as soon as possible.”

 

And Steve hangs up, leaving Tony to glare at his mobile for a moment before checking the coast and hurrying over to their car.  “You’re driving,” he says, tossing Pepper the keys.

 

“Really, where is Happy when you need him?” she huffs, going around the car.  She pops the trunk, and Tony heaves out the Iron Man case before getting in the back.

 

“Tinted windows, right?”

 

“Everywhere.  Lucky you’re so paranoid.  Who is it?”

 

“Loki with Hulk.”

 

“I thought we had Hulk.”

 

“Loki is controlling him, I guess?”

 

“Do you have the Hulk-proof armor?”  Tony blinks.  Pepper nods.  “So, not the hotel because that’ll be the first place Loki will look after you’re not in the restaurant.  _Shit_.  Or, he was waiting for us to leave.”

 

Tony grunts as the car swerves before tossing the case beside him and clambering into the passenger seat.  “Nick,” he growls into his mobile, “I trust you got the memo.”

 

“They just left.  Have you seen him yet?”

 

“Giant green thing chasing my car down the street?  Huh.  It might be Bruce, I’m not sure.”

 

“That suit is to remain in its case, Stark.”

 

“If I have to protect Pepper—”

 

“In its case.  The Avengers are on their way.”

 

“Pepper, left.”  Pepper obeys wordlessly, and Tony cranes his neck.  “Oh look, a Frost Giant that isn’t blue but is levitating.  Lovely.  Nick, I can’t promise any—”

 

“Mister Stark, that is an order.”

 

“Steve is our captain.”

  
“Captain Rogers is in charge of the Avengers.  _You_ are not part of the Avengers.”

 

“ _I am Iron Man_!  I _am_ part of the Avengers!”

 

“Tony Stark is not, and I won’t have you jeopardizing our hard work.”

 

“Pepper!”

 

“Six minutes until they land,” Nick says calmly, and Tony nearly blows up.

 

“We’re not going to make it six minutes!  Nick, I don’t think you understand!  Loki is _in London_ , attacking us, with Bruce on our tail!  If I have to use the suit, I will!”

 

“Then you can forget about even being a consultant.”

 

“I hope you’re not in the mansion when we get back.”

 

Tony hangs up, fuming, and he closes his eyes when it rings again.  He answers it without looking.  “What?”

 

“Where are you?” Steve asks.

 

“Just passed Big Ben.”

 

“Christ, Tony.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Just try to stay out of the way.  Don’t let him get near you.  Either of them.”

 

Steve hangs up, and Tony tosses his mobile back into his pocket before stripping out of his jacket.  “What are you doing?” Pepper asks, screeching around a corner to avoid the giant, building crack in the street.

 

“You are one of the most important people in my life, Pepper.”

 

“Tony, you can’t—”

 

“Pepper.”

 

“Right.”

 

She drives around another corner, erupting onto another busy street of screaming people and swerving cars.  Tony struggles out of his shoes and then his pants.  When he reaches for the buttons on his shirt, Pepper slams on the brakes, and he looks up, heart hammering in his chest.  Cars have come to a standstill and Hulk is close by in their rearview mirror.  Tony takes one breath before ripping out of his shirt and yanking open the glove compartment.

 

“Out of the car,” he orders, and Pepper is already reaching into the back to get the case.  She scrambles out as Tony tugs the body suit on over his feet and up to his waist before he kicks his door open.  Hulk yells something awful and pulls his arms out.  “Pepper, alley!”  Pepper dodges away from the cars and into an alley as Tony shoves his arms in and runs after her.  The street and buildings around them shake and crack as Hulk brings his hands back together.

 

“Oh, _Iron Man_ ,” Loki sings again, and Tony falls against a building, chest heaving.

 

“He’s so close,” Pepper whispers, and Tony nods.  “Is that the quinjet?”  Tony listens, waiting for the familiar sound, before he nods again, sagging a little.  Just as he’s about to say something, the wall behind him shatters, and he falls through rock and air, mouth open in a silent scream until a large green hand suddenly closes around him and throws him.

 

He careens through the air as the quinjet lands in an intersection.  “Who was that?” Clint asks, waiting for everyone to pile off before he takes back to the skies.

 

“Tony,” Thor confirms, and they all stop, searching.  Some miles away, Tony struggles to his hands and knees, shaking.  “What the hell is she doing?” Thor exclaims as Pepper suddenly sprints from the alley.

 

“Shit,” Steve swears, “Clint, go.  Stop wasting time.”  Clint nods before motioning to their pilot.  “Alright,” Steve starts to say, but then a roar erupts, and Pepper reaches Tony.  Even Steve can’t help his momentary immobility.  He’s never seen Tony get in the uniform before, and it’s transfixing.  The Avengers around him stare, agape, as Pepper drops the case and disappears into another alley.  Tony lifts his head and looks down the street toward where Loki is grinning, hovering some hundred feet in the air.

 

“Little Iron Man,” he says, his voice echoing around the street, “Coming to get me?”

 

Tony grabs the case, and Thor starts forward, but Steve puts a hand to his chest.  “I’m sorry I never told you,” he addresses the group.

 

Tony transforms into Iron Man, the suit fitting to his body perfectly before he launches into the air, and the battle begins.

 

Tony works flawlessly with them, taking orders and following plans better than anyone imagined he could.  Thor immediately seeks him out, and they frequently work together.  Loki disappears toward the end, and then they only need capture Hulk, which Thor does with a quick swing of his hammer.  They trap him to the ground with the hammer and wait until everyone is together before Steve speaks, “I’ll talk to Nick.”

 

“I can’t believe he hid this from us,” Thor grumbles, “You would be such an addition to the team.  Can you even imagine?  We’d be unstoppable.”

 

“Fury doesn’t like Tony Stark,” Tony says, his voice a little gravelly because of the mask.

 

“He likes Iron Man,” Steve concludes.

 

Thor snorts, “Tony _is_ Iron Man.”

 

“I knew I liked you.”

 

“Bruce,” Natasha says suddenly, “Always good to see you.  Thor, if you wouldn’t mind.”  They’ve learned, especially after the first time they let Bruce up and Loki swept in. Now, Thor carries both Bruce and hammer back to the quinjet.  “I thought this was too easy,” Natasha mutters as Loki descends in front of said quinjet.

 

He lifts one hand and points at Tony, who rolls his eyes.  “You have something I want.”

 

“You’ll have to come and get it,” Tony challenges.

 

“Thor, we need you.  Get Bruce to the jet.  Widow, find a place you can surprise attack from.  Tony, don’t move.”

 

“Sorry, Cap,” Tony says very softly before lifting into the air.  He shoots a repulsor blast at Loki, but it goes right through him, and then a hand closes around his throat.

 

“Did they mention there is always more than one of me?” Loki’s voice hisses from behind him before a pale hand reaches forward and twists the reactor.  Tony screams.

 

\--

 

The noise from the meeting room is monstrous.

 

It’s been four hours since they landed in New York again, and the shouting match started just a few minutes ago.  Up until now, they’ve concerned themselves with Tony, but Steve has finally pulled himself way and is heading the discussion.  Currently, however, he’s trying to move Thor away from the glaring Nick.

 

“It appears you don’t have control of your team, Rogers.”

 

“If it’s not him, it’s me!” Steve exclaims, releasing Thor, who, thankfully, doesn’t move again.  “ _You_ are the director of SHIELD.  _I_ am the captain of this team.  Tony is part of the Avengers.”

 

“You’re blinded by lust.  You aren’t qualified to make this decision.  You’re too biased,” Nick snaps.

 

The room explodes in shouting again until they notice Nick looking out the window.  “You can’t even—”

 

“Tony just left.”

 

“What?”  Steve hurries to the window just in time to see the Porsche rounding a corner.  “We’ll finish this later.  Thor,” he adds, and the Norse god nods.  Steve jogs out and punches one of the basement level buttons for the garage once in the elevator.  He takes his motorcycle, grabbing his leather jacket from a hook on the wall.  He’s since changed out of the uniform, and so he doesn’t feel as exposed when he erupts onto the streets, always full with paparazzi and curious onlookers.

 

He doesn’t know where Tony is going, and so he takes a route at random until Pepper’s voice suddenly enters his helmet.  “Steve, he put on the tracker.  He’s at Stark Industries.”

 

“Thank you, Pepper.”

 

When he arrives, the butler nods, and the receptionist says, “office,” without even looking up.  Steve takes the elevator to one of the top floors to find Tony just exiting his office holding a huge and tall folded green _thing_.  Steve sighs and goes over to him, holding a hand out to halt him.  “I thought you’d end up here,” Tony says, peeking around the boards and wiggling his eyebrows.

 

“You’re supposed to be resting.”

 

“I’m making myself better, actually.  Inventing.  Upgrading.”  He grunts when he tries to move forward and Steve’s hand is still there.  “Okay.  Do you want to carry it, Steve?”

 

“What is it?” Steve asks once he’s shifted it into his arms.

 

“My dad.  He’s saving my life.”  He watches Steve stiffen a little, and he frowns.  He knows it’s hard for him sometimes, knowing Tony is the son of one of his best friends that is long gone and dead.  “Just leave it in the Porsche.  I’ll meet you back at the mansion.”

 

“Tony,” Steve says before he can get back in the car, “Welcome to the team.  I’m glad you’re okay.”  He stoops to kiss him on the forehead before touching his shoulder and straightening.

 

“I expect you in my bed tonight,” Tony says, and Steve smiles.

 

“I’m always in your bed.”

 

They part after a real kiss, and then Tony is in the Porsche and Steve is on his motorcycle.  They go to Tony’s lab where Tony snaps his fingers to wake the robots up and then takes the boards from Steve.  “I don’t want to ask you to leave, but I have to,” Tony says, “The lab is going into lockdown, and I don’t know when I’ll be done.”

 

“I have to go break apart Nick anyway.”

 

“Welcome to the hate club.”

 

\--

 

When they finish with Nick, Thor whines about being hungry and wanting a drink, and so they decide to go out for dinner.  “Should we stop by the lab?” Clint asks as they reach the garage.

 

Steve shakes his head, “I don’t think you can even get to the hallway.  He’ll be busy for the rest of the night.”  And so they go out.

 

Steve stops for Chinese and a six-pack on the way back for Tony, but when he pulls in around eleven, the mansion is so quiet.  The lab is open and empty when he goes by, and Tony isn’t on the first floor.  “Jarvis, is everything okay?” he asks once in the elevator.

 

“Mister Stark finished his new reactor around six o’clock.  I am currently running tests.  He left for bed at seven thirty.”

 

“Thank you, Jarvis.”  He exits onto the second floor, not really believing that Tony could possibly be asleep before two o’clock, and trudges down the hallway to Tony’s closed door.  When he pushes inside, he can’t help but smile.  Tony is on his stomach, legs tangled in the sheets and his bare back visible in the moonlight.  His face is turned toward the window, and he is snoring softly.  Steve moves about the room, leaving the Chinese and six-pack in the small fridge in the corner.  He dumps his jacket on the small couch before disrobing and dropping his clothes on top of Tony’s pile on the floor.

 

He walks over slowly, taking in the handsome image in front of him.  Tony twitches and shifts the tiniest bit, his snores breaking for a second before he yawns and continues on, and Steve practically melts.  He’s slept with Tony before, but he’s usually _asleep_ and therefore can’t appreciate how incredibly adorable _Tony_ sleeping is, especially since this is the only time he’ll ever be so still.

 

Steve has half a mind to grab his sketchpad, but he shrugs that idea off, knowing he’ll probably come home to Tony asleep some other time when he’s not been pining after him for nearly a week.  He doesn’t know why they’ve been so busy lately, but he has this moment right now, and he’s not going to rush it.

 

Steve bends over Tony’s sleeping form, his thighs hitting the edge of the bed because even though Tony is so short, he loves the bed high off the ground, and presses a kiss just between his shoulder blades.  He licks over one of the protruding bones, and a sheen of goosebumps actually rise up on Tony’s skin as he shivers against the touch.  He keeps snoring, though, and Steve smirks, slowly and carefully getting onto the bed until he’s straddling Tony, the round of his ass fitting nicely into Steve’s lap.

 

He leans back down, ghosting his lips over Tony’s back, leaving light, fluttering kisses after tiny little nips of his teeth.  Tony suddenly shifts, and Steve notices the change in his breathing, the cease of his snoring, and he knows Tony is waking up, albeit painfully slowly.  He’s always showered, fully dressed, and ready for the day before Tony can even push himself out of bed, and so he trails a hand up Tony’s side and down his arm, resting his fingers between the smaller man’s.  Tony hums appreciatively and curls their hands together.

 

“I’m sorry I fell asleep,” Tony mumbles, his voice thick and heavy so that Steve has to strain to understand him.

 

“It’s okay.  I kind of like you like this.  You’re so willing.”

 

Tony hums again, and this one reverberates through him, and Steve can feel it where his other hand is braced against Tony’s side.  He takes his hand back and gets off the bed, though Tony doesn’t make any move or sound of complaint.  He just stays there, face half-mashed into the pillow and breathing softly.  Steve lifts the blanket off, admiring Tony’s ass and his body just there on display, all long lines and sharp angles.  He loves Tony’s body, lusts after it in his darker thoughts that he won’t admit to, and he can’t help himself as he runs a hand from neck to foot, grinning when Tony’s leg twitches.  He knows people want nothing more than to stare at him and his muscles, but he’d never prefer anyone beside Tony, with his lean body and just-visible build of muscles.  It attracts him like nothing else, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

“Do you want me to stop?” Steve asks as he kneels next to Tony and cups his ass, squeezing slightly.

 

For a long moment, Tony doesn’t do or say anything, and Steve thinks he’s fallen asleep again.  And then, quite suddenly, “No.”  It’s soft and lazy, and Steve knows he’s going to have to work to keep Tony’s interest on him.  He loves a challenge, though.

 

He reaches over to the nightstand and pulls open the drawer, fishing inside until he finds the bottle of minty lube.  He smirks, remembering when Tony came home with it and threw it at his head, claiming he’d been looking for it for months after one time he’d used it on himself years and years ago.  “It’s fucking magical, Rogers,” he’d assured.  It certainly had been.

 

Steve coats his fingers now before brushing the pad of his index finger over Tony’s entrance and poking just the tip of his finger through, teasing, just the way Tony likes it.  He hums softly, breathing still even, and Steve slowly pushes inside.  Tony responds just slightly, hips lifting a little off the bed before settling back down.  He’s so relaxed around Steve’s finger that he pushes the second and third in seconds after one another.

 

“I really like you like this,” Steve murmurs, settling himself on Tony’s thighs again, making sure not to let his full weight down.  No matter how many times Tony claims he can take all of Steve, all his strength, Steve knows no one really can, except maybe Thor and Hulk, and he’s always so afraid of breaking Tony.  The fact that he’s just a man is enough for him to hold back, but then there’s the reactor, which has always terrified him; he never wants to cause Tony pain because of that, and he doesn’t know what those limits are.

 

“Ready,” Tony mumbles, and Steve bends to kiss the back of his neck, pulling another shiver from Tony.  He pulls his fingers out to slick his cock, already hard from watching Tony rock so slowly onto his fingers, just on the edge of wakefulness, so willing to him, and his thoughts on the way home.

 

Tony’s breath rushes out in a gasp when Steve pushes through the tight ring of muscle, and one of his hands fists loosely in the sheets when his length fills him, his ass coming flush with Steve’s hips.  The muscles in his back twitch and tighten briefly before he relaxes back into Steve’s touch, and Steve groans, bending to nip at Tony’s ear.

 

“I have a kink I need to talk to you about,” he whispers against his ear, and Tony cracks an eye open, blue swiveling to find Steve’s face.

 

“Mkay,” he mumbles after a second, letting his eye shut again.

 

Steve laughs softly before taking hold of Tony’s hand again and slowly easing out of the unresisting man beneath him.  He creates an easy, lazy rhythm, and when he finally finds Tony’s prostate, he makes sure to rub over it long and slow.  Tony makes these little breathy moaning sounds that has Steve slowly picking up his pace, and, before long, Steve shifts, pulling Tony’s legs out from underneath him so that the smaller man is in his lap.

 

“Mm, hi,” Tony mumbles, turning his chin and Steve obliges, taking his mouth in a needy, slow kiss.  Tony’s body is so pliant and willing in his hands, and Steve surrenders his hands to his hips, moving Tony as fast as he needs.  Tony provides him with occasional arching, gasps, and a single groan that tears from him when Steve bites at a sensitive spot on his neck.  Otherwise, he’s quite still and quiet, and it only turns Steve on more.

 

“What?” Steve grunts out when Tony’s whole body twitches, and his head moves, hair brushing against Steve’s cheek.

 

“I need—” Tony breaks off, groaning softly.

 

Quite suddenly, Steve feels Tony’s thighs tighten, and his feet curl around Steve’s calves, holding himself in place.  He tugs one of Steve’s hands off his hips and then moves his own hand to Steve’s thigh, balancing himself.  Steve gets the message and grasps Tony’s straining cock, ripping a moan from Tony’s throat.

 

Steve reciprocates the moan with his own before biting into the back of Tony’s neck, who, in turn, breathes a little louder and faster.  He moves against Steve, the muscles in his thighs shifting, and it nearly trips Steve over the edge watching Tony rock down onto him and want so much.

 

“Tony,” he says before reaching up his free hand and taking Tony’s shoulder.  He pushes down until Tony obliges, the hand on Steve’s thigh coming to the bed for balance as Steve fucks into him quickly, blinding heat pooling in his belly.  He’s unsteady, and Tony notices almost immediately, swatting away Steve’s hand to jerk himself, and Steve thanks him with a kiss on the back as he places his other hand on Tony’s hip.

 

“Steve,” Tony suddenly gasps, and his whole body tightens, shoulders straining as his head drops and his elbow slows gradually, his orgasm shaking through him.  It’s relatively calm and quiet compared to his usual climaxes.

 

Steve is seconds after him, groaning as he spills into Tony’s ass, heart thudding in his chest and mouth open in a pant.  He keeps up his pace until Tony twitches against him and his orgasm fades into a warm glow in his chest, and only then does he pull out and fall onto his heels, careful to not strain on Tony’s legs.  Tony is balanced on one forearm, his breathing already even and slow again, and then Steve realizes why he isn’t lying down yet.

 

“Sorry,” he whispers, disentangling himself from Tony so he can crawl away from the wet spot and over toward Steve’s side.

 

“I love you,” Tony mumbles, yawning and trying to grab the sheets with his toes.

 

Steve smiles and climbs in next to him, pulling the blankets over them.  “I love you, too,” he promises, pulling Tony close to him and kissing the top of his messy black hair.  “Go to sleep.”  Tony mumbles something completely incoherent, and Steve just tightens his hold.

 

\--

 

The next morning, Steve awakes to the sound of whispering.  When he cracks an eye, he sighs.  Thor and Clint are staring over at them from the door.  “Good morning, Mister Rogers,” Jarvis greets, and Steve frowns.  The whispering immediately stops.  He shoots them a glare before reaching up a hand to rub his face.

 

“Captain.  We were just coming to see how Tony was.  Clearly quite well.”  They sprint off as Steve sighs again.  Tony is still fast asleep against him, and Steve can’t help but smile down at him.  He detaches himself slowly and carefully, and he heads into the bathroom to shower.  He can hear Tony get up a while into his shower to pee, quickly clean his teeth, and splash water on his face before he goes back to bed, and he smiles.  He loves these lazy days where Tony absolutely refuses to get out of bed.  For some reason, he never seems to get hungry until the earliest hours of the morning, and so they just spend the day lounging, loving, and lazing.

 

However, when he exits the bathroom in a towel, the bed is empty and the door is open.  He moves about getting dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before padding out barefoot.  He takes the stairs to the kitchen where Thor winks at him.  “How’s Bruce?” he asks as he grabs a glass and fills it with orange juice.

 

“Contained.  Coulson is interrogating him because Nick infuriates him.”

 

“Nick infuriates everyone.  Clint, _what_?”

 

“Do you bottom?”  Steve chokes as Thor gapes.  “I just mean, with the serum and all, we might be right to worry about Tony’s safety.”  Before Steve can even begin to answer, though, a loud shout/growl sounds from the basement.

 

Jarvis’ voice suddenly sounds, “Mister Stark is alright.  He asks that you do not come down.”

 

“Steve, make us pancakes,” Thor says, waving his hand at him obnoxiously.

 

Steve rolls his eyes before going to comply.  He’s halfway through with the first batch when the elevator chimes and Tony’s near-silent footsteps approach.  Steve turns to greet him with a smile and nearly drops his skillet.  “Wait,” Thor gasps, “That thing is part of you?”

 

Tony freezes in the doorway, clearly not expecting Thor and Clint to be present, his hand still splayed across his chest where he’d been rubbing.  “I guess I should have put a shirt on,” he manages, swallowing, “Why are _you_ staring?” he directs rather harshly at Steve.

 

“It’s… a triangle.”

 

“Very good,” Tony laughs, “I—” he continues proudly, going over to the fridge, “—created a new element.”  This time, Steve does drop his skillet, though just onto the stove.  The other three Avengers stare at Tony as he swigs from the orange juice carton before putting it back.  “Do you guys even know how I made the first one?  That’s nearly as cool as creating a new element, _which I did_.  Push over, I’m making eggs.”  They stare for a few moments longer before Thor shrugs and announces he’s making bacon and sausages, causing Clint to snort and cackle.

 

They eat a friendly and boisterous breakfast, laughing and chatting until Jane calls and Tony whines about not being in bed.  When they retreat back up to their room, Tony grumbles about having to do his job, and so Steve grabs his sketchpad and a book.  For some reason, he’s always highly attracted to Tony whenever he’s being technical, and so he leans against the headboard and opens his pad to an ongoing sketch of Tony and Jarvis.  A blue-tinted board opens up on the window wall opposite the door, and the man and robot chatter away, Tony’s fingers flying across controls and doing all sorts of strange things Steve will never understand.  He loves listening, though, even if he doesn’t understand it.

 

Tony reaches up to rub his chest occasionally, which worries Steve, but everything about the reactor is so foreign to him that he doesn’t know where to begin.  He knows Tony has a heart and that there was something wrong with the old reactor, but that’s about it.  And if someone asked him _why_ he needed a reactor in the first place, he could recite an answer of odd words.

 

“That’s interesting.  Good to know you stare at my ass often.”  Steve snaps from his reverie, looking around for Tony to find him on his stomach with a small, flat screen in front of him, working on something smaller for work.

 

“Tony,” Steve says, touching his bare shoulder.  Tony notices the look in Steve’s eyes, and he frowns, arching an eyebrow.  “Does it hurt?” Steve blurts, and Tony sighs.  He pushes up until he’s sitting, facing Steve.

 

He nods, and Steve gulps before reaching up and fanning his fingers over the reactor.  Tony flinches, and his breath hitches.  He can feel Tony’s pulse racing, and he starts to retreat.  “No,” Tony grunts, “It’s just—just a small panic attack.  I’m—I’m okay.  It—” Tony pauses to take a shuddering breath, “—it doesn’t hurt.”

 

“What’s wrong, then?”

 

Tony looks at him, eyes glassy.  He’s never talked about that night before.  “I know you—” Tony stops again, suddenly reaching up and taking Steve’s wrist.  “I’m sorry,” he says, pulling his hand away from the cool, bright device, “I can’t concentrate.”  Steve nods and folds his hands in his lap.  “I know you got a history on each of us—” Tony continues, “—but I also know you didn’t understand a lot of mine.”  Steve shakes his head, and Tony smiles softly.  “You know the shrapnel that is left over from a bullet or explosion?”  Steve nods.  “My old associate, Obadiah, was selling Stark Industries weapons behind my back to America’s enemies.  He ordered an attack on me with those enemy weapons, but I wasn’t killed.  A man in captivity, Doctor Yinsen, saved my life by hooking a car battery to my chest that kept the shrapnel from entering my heart.  They wanted me to build the latest weapon, the Jericho, that I’d put on the market.  Instead, I built the old arc reactor I used to have and a suit of iron.  Arc reactor technology was something Obadiah and I did decades previous, and no one really understood it.  It was a one in a million shot managing to miniaturize it; I’m still baffled by the fact that I did it sometimes.  But, anyway, I escaped.  Obadiah—” Tony pauses to touch the reactor, and Steve gasps as he twists, making it click and hiss, “—took it from me.  He broke into this mansion, before it was all this, paralyzed me temporarily with my _own_ technology, and he left me to die.  Pepper, bless her, had framed the old reactor,” he pauses to pull it out and show Steve.  He breathes a little harder, though, and Steve nods, looking frantically at Tony’s chest.  “I’m fine,” Tony assures, but he pushes it back in regardless.  “Anyway, so she had the old reactor framed, and the paralysis only lasts for fifteen minutes, but…” he breaks off, looking anywhere but at Steve’s face, “I’ve never been so afraid in my life, Steve.  First, being kidnapped and nearly killed, having a goddamn _car battery_ hooked to my chest, watching Yinsen die, and I just—I nearly died out there.  I would have died if it hadn’t been for Yinsen and for Rhodes and all of his stupid search parties, and then it all comes down to someone I’d always looked up to.  He worked with my _dad_ , for Christ’s sake, and he took my fucking heart out.”  Steve flinches, both at the reference of Tony’s father and the reference of the reactor as a heart.  It frightens him sometimes to think how Tony couldn’t survive without it and how out in the open it is.  “Not a lot of people have seen this.  And only those people know it exists.  Obadiah was the first person, other than Rhodes, of course, who saw it, and he just—he destroyed me.  I’ll never understand how he did that, how he came in and just took it, just left me to die, and I would have.”

 

“But you didn’t,” Steve reminds, laying a hand on Tony’s pajama-covered knee.

 

Tony nods, but doesn’t move otherwise.  “Even when I got downstairs, I wasn’t sure I’d survive.  I don’t even remember now how I got the reactor in.  I just know Rhodes found me face down in the lab, and I went to fight Obadiah.  Steve, I can’t—I can’t live without it.  Those fifteen minutes were the worst I’ve ever experienced.  I felt dead.  Everything was shutting down.  I had two heart attacks in those fifteen minutes.  I shouldn’t be alive.”

 

“Tony.”  Tony looks up, and Steve immediately pulls him closer, right into his lap so that he’s essentially cradling Tony.

 

“I’m not going to break,” he whispers suddenly, and Steve pulls back to look him in the face, “You always are so careful with me.  I’m not going to break, though.  I promise.  I’m strong.  Just—just be careful with this,” he points a finger at the reactor, and Steve nods.

 

In one fluid motion, he leans Tony back a little more and dips his head to press a soft kiss to the center of the reactor, and Tony’s breath hitches.  Steve flicks his eyes up to meet Tony’s, holding the gaze for a moment before speaking, “I love you, all of you.”  He presses another kiss to the scarred skin around the reactor, a ring of what Nick calls the palladium crossword, something Steve knows was a result of the old reactor and, one time, spread over all of Tony’s torso.

 

“S-Steve.”  Tony’s voice is broken and shaking.

 

Steve looks up, alarmed, and his heart shatters when he finds Tony trying to push away from him and hide his face.  He grabs for the smaller man quickly, folding Tony away in his arms, even when he continues to shove against his chest, his breath wheezing out from him.  “Let me go,” he gasps, struggling until Steve tightens his grip, and Tony _can’t_ struggle because he isn’t physically strong enough, and then he sags, his whole body going limp as he crumbles in Steve’s arms, shaking and breaking down.

 

“It’s okay,” Steve whispers into his hair, breathing him in and moving one hand to rub his back.  Tony regains control in only a few minutes, which Steve expected because, honestly, he hadn’t even expected him to lose control, _ever_.

 

“I’m sorry,” Tony mumbles, and Steve lets him push away this time.  He stumbles off the bed and is gone in a second flat.  Steve waits a few seconds until he hears a sigh, and then he pushes off the bed and pads into the bathroom where Tony is braced against the sink, his head sunk down and his breathing steady.  Steve comes up behind him and wraps his arms slowly around him, inhaling deeply and kissing the nape of his neck.

 

“I love you.”

 

“I know,” Tony says on an exhale, “And I love you.”

 

“Don’t be sorry.”

 

“Okay.”

 

They stay like that a while longer until Tony straightens and nods, his lips curving in a small smile.  And, when they head back into the room, Steve takes his screen thing, glaring when Tony opens his mouth to protest, and he leaves it on the desk with his sketchpad and book.  And then he pulls Tony close to him on the bed, orders him to make the television work, and they snuggle and watch stupid movies for most of the day.

 

\--

 

Around dinnertime, when Tony is sufficiently bored, Steve drags him out of bed, reminding him to put on a shirt this time, and they head down into the massive kitchen where the smell of Natasha and Pepper’s cooking draws them in.  The other male Avengers are already seated and chattering loudly, and they’re quick to join them.

 

“They said this was a one-time deal,” Thor says, nodding toward the women.

 

“I’m surprised Pepper is even over there,” Tony comments, “I asked her to make me dinner one time, and she reached for her taser.”

 

“Only because you’re an excellent cook, Tony,” Pepper says sweetly, tossing him a smile.

 

He mimics it before turning back to the table.  Steve and Thor are making plans for a workout sesh, and he’s about to torture Clint when Thor turns to him, “Wanna join?”  He looks at him strangely a moment before nodding.  “We’ll go easy,” Thor promises, and Tony snorts.

 

“I can take you, Goldilocks.”

 

“I highly doubt that, Shellhead.”

 

The kitchen erupts in roaring laughter until the ladies start setting out food, and they’re silenced by piling their plates.  When all that’s done and finished with, Tony and Steve head upstairs to change while Thor tries to convince Clint to join them.  In the end, it seems he agrees, as does Natasha, and, before long, they’re all heading downstairs and pairing off.

 

“I don’t like you,” Tony says, pointing at Natasha as she approaches, “I know full well what you’re capable of.”

 

“Oh, come now, Mister Stark,” she scoffs, all professional, “Too man to hit a girl?”

 

Clint laughs and folds his arms over his chest.  Natasha strips out of her sweatshirt, leaving her in shorts and a tank top.  Tony glares at her, shaking his head.  “No, I’m just terrified of you, and I have no problem admitting that,” he adds to a sniggering Clint.  “You wanna fight her?”

 

“I can take her,” Clint says, and Tony moves aside to let him take his place.

 

Clint actually lasts for a full two minutes before Natasha has him pinned, and Tony is just dropping his sneakers by the pile of everyone else’s when Natasha lands him a swift punch in the gut.  He doubles over as Natasha straightens proudly and Thor guffaws; Clint is still picking himself up off the ground, and Steve folds his arms across his chest, watching with a slightly amused expression.  Natasha starts to walk off until Tony lunges at her, and they tumble to the ground.

 

It turns out to be quite the interesting fight.  Tony may not be big like a _Norse god_ or a damned _super soldier_ , but he knows how to hold his ground, and he’s always been one to keep in shape.  Besides that, Jarvis will never let him forget the time he hadn’t worked out in a few weeks, and the suit pinched a little.

 

And so he manages eight minutes against Natasha before he actually gets her to cry yield.  “You’re better than the last time I kicked your ass,” she comments when he stands and smirks at her.

 

“I was distracted by the fact that you’d just taken out Happy.”

 

After that, they’re distracted by Thor and Steve, who seem to fight forever and result with no real winner.  Then they switch around for a while, trying out different partners and working their strengths against one another.  Steve smirks when he finally gets Tony.

 

“Oh, wonderful,” Tony mutters, immediately bracing himself.  Steve lunges, and, at the last possible second, Tony drops to a knee.  He can almost hear Jarvis’ voice in his head as Steve trips over him, can nearly feel the weight of the metal on his body.  He’s up in a flash, springing over to the other side of the mat.  Steve rises, looking confused, and he turns as Tony crouches, stance defensive.  His lips move soundlessly, dissecting the body in front of him.  When Steve attacks again, he drops again and lets his hand fly forward.  Steve actually grunts from the force of Tony’s palm against his abdomen.  He grabs for Tony’s shoulder before he can squirm away, and he throws him onto his back, but then Tony rolls and hooks a foot around Steve’s ankle.  As the super soldier stumbles, Tony finds his feet again.  Steve spins, crashing them together, and now Steve has a firm grip on Tony.  They fight viciously until, finally, Tony’s back meets the mat again, Steve perched above him.  To his credit, Steve is short on breath.  They stay like that while Tony’s heart slows, and only then does Steve let him up.  Tony thanks him with a smile as he takes his hand and gets up.

 

His chest is sore, and he waves Clint away when he approaches.  He goes over to his water bottle, rubbing his chest.  They stay downstairs for a while longer before they retreat about the mansion, Tony heading for his lab.  “I’ll be up in a while, okay?” he says to Steve when they exit the sparring room, and Steve responds with a nod and a kiss.

 

Once alone in his lab, Tony sheds his shirt and watches Jarvis display back his chest.  He touches the scarred skin around the reactor, frowning.  “Run a diagnostic, Jarvis,” he says softly, heading over to another set of computers surrounding a metal slab.  He hooks himself up before settling down.

 

“The reactor is fine, sir.”

 

“Not the reactor,” Tony says, sighing and closing his eyes, “My heart.”  As the tests begin, he lets a memory of his childhood, of his father telling him a story of his best friend frozen in the ice, swim to the surface of his mind.

 

\--

 

Steve lets the cool water envelop him a moment before he kicks forward, pausing only to turn and kick off the wall of the pool.  He hasn’t tested himself in some time, and it feels good.  He doesn’t stop until his lungs are burning, and the he surfaces in the deep end, gasping.

 

“The serum is incredible really,” a familiar voice says, and Steve swivels his head to find Natasha lowering herself into the shallow end, _naked_.  “Were you really that small before?”

 

“I was,” Steve says, blinking when she suddenly pushes off the wall.  “Natasha,” he tries when she reaches him.

 

“I’ve always thought you were so magnificent, ever since I was a child.”

 

“Natasha,” he says again, sliding along the wall away from her, but then she backs him into the corner.

 

“I know what you’re thinking, that this is wrong because we’re teammates.”

 

“Actually,” Steve begins, taking her shoulders and moving her away, “This is wrong because I’m not attracted to you, and I’m dating Tony.”

 

“I thought Clint was just pulling my leg,” she whispers as he lifts out of the pool and goes over to his towel to dry off.

 

“Mister Rogers,” Jarvis’ voice comes over the com, “Tony has fallen asleep in the lab.”

 

“Thank you, Jarvis.  Natasha,” he says with a nod before exiting.

 

He tosses his towel toward the laundry room before crossing through a few hallways until he reaches the lab.  He waits while Jarvis recognizes his fingers before entering.  Tony is slumped over the dashboard, breathing slowly.  A heart monitor is hooked up to his chest, and it creates a steady, lulling pace until Steve detaches it and pushes Tony’s hair out of his eyes.  The smaller man doesn’t even stir, and Steve smiles before carefully lifting Tony in his arms, who leans against him tiredly.

 

“Jarvis, sleep,” Steve commands, and as he leaves, the lab shuts down.  He goes up by elevator, pushing open their bedroom door with his back.  He pulls back the sheets before lowering Tony into bed.  He strips off his shorts, leaving him only in briefs, and Tony mumbles something incoherent and turns over onto his side.  Steve smiles and kisses his mess of black hair before heading into the bathroom to shower.  When he returns, he folds Tony away in his arms, and they sleep until the sun is high.

 

Tony wakes first, and it’s a few seconds before he can gather his bearings.  And when he does, he smirks and shimmies out of his briefs under the blankets before reaching over to strip Steve of his.  He palms his soft cock slowly, ducking his head under the sheets to kiss along Steve’s stomach.  He teases his way down to his thighs, and Steve sighs in his sleep.  Tony smirks and darts his tongue out to flick at Steve’s hardening dick.  He continues teasing for a few moments before taking the head between his lips and sucking.  Steve’s eyes are open instantly, and Tony flicks his gaze up, holding it for a moment before hollowing his cheeks and taking all of him.

 

Steve actually moans, breathy and beautiful, lifting his hips.  Tony flattens his tongue along the vein, letting a groan rumble through him when his hips move again.  Tony curls his fingers around Steve’s calves, and Steve takes that as his final confirmation.  He fucks up into Tony’s mouth, pausing only to suck on three of Tony’s fingers.  Tony is rough and experienced, and he stretches Steve for the first time, rubbing over his prostate and making Steve cry out.  He comes with his fingers fisted in Tony’s hair, groaning and breathless.  His hips fall back onto the bed as Tony sits up on his heels, chest heaving.  They stare at another for a moment before Steve reaches up and pulls Tony toward him, kissing him slowly and lazily.

 

“Mm, we have to take care of you,” Steve purrs, and Tony grunts when he’s suddenly flipped onto his back.  Watching Steve suck him off is nearly enough to finish him, and so Tony is loud and quick.  They both collapse together afterward, Tony wrapped away in Steve’s arms.

 

“Super soldier,” Tony grumbles, rubbing his knee against Steve’s growing erection.

 

“At least I have patience,” Steve shoots back, and Tony chuckles.

 

“I don’t even have a comprehension for that word.”

 

“Of course you don’t.”

 

Tony pulls Steve’s face forward for a messy, needy kiss, and their bodies mold together, Steve pressing Tony down into the mattress and grinding his hips down into Tony’s.  “Fuck, Steve,” Tony gasps, breaking their kiss and clawing at his back.  Steve dips his head for Tony’s neck, licking and biting mercilessly until Tony is hard again and moaning.  He yanks open the nightstand drawer and snatches the lube out before rolling off of Tony and taking one of his hips.  Tony gives him a curious glance, eyes alighting with mischief when Steve pulls on his hip.  He turns onto his hands and knees, searching for Steve’s pupil-blown blue eyes, Steve, who nods toward the headboard.  Tony has to take a moment to collect himself before he crawls forward and places both hands on the headboard, fingers curling over the wood.

 

He turns his jaw to say something, but then one long finger pushes through the ring of tight muscle in his ass, and Tony’s hips stutter forward, his head falling back in a loud gasp.  “Fucking _hell_ ,” he groans, his knuckles white, and then Steve actually hits him a little, just a small slap on the ass, and Tony’s pretty sure he’s going to just come from this because _this_ , holy fuck.

 

“Steve,” he gasps, his back arching as the super soldier curls his finger, slipping just over the edge of Tony’s prostate.  It’s just enough to get him riled.  “Steve.”

 

“Tony?”  The name curls out of his mouth, all low and teasing, and Tony groans, rocking down onto Steve’s finger.  It’s not enough, and Steve knows that.

 

“Fucking come _on_ ,” Tony growls, pressing down onto Steve’s hand in want.

 

“What do you want?” Steve purrs, placing a light, fluttering kiss on the base of Tony’s spine that makes his body tremble.

 

“Fuck—I need more, _please_.”  His breath hitches and releases in a high-pitched whimper when Steve obliges with two more fingers, and Tony feels like he’s burning, but it’s _so good_.  “What in the world has gotten into you?” he pants, biting down on his lip to keep another groan in as Steve’s hand comes down on his ass again.

 

“I just—” Steve seems at an utter loss for words, and then he sighs and dips his head to bite and kiss along Tony’s spine again, “God, I want to fuck you senseless.  I just love your ass.  It’s so perfect.  Fuck, Tony, I just—just— _God_.”

 

“Whatever you want,” Tony says, breathless and grinning widely, “Anything.”

 

Steve nods, looking at him, and Tony nods, returning the gaze.  Steve nudges his calf with his knee, and Tony takes the hint, spreading his legs wider.  Steve removes his fingers and readies himself while Tony readjusts his grip on the headboard and hangs his head, trying to steady his breathing.  He knows the limits of his own self control, knows that they’re light years away from Steve’s, but he wants this to last, wants Steve to remember this.

 

“I love you,” Steve suddenly whispers, and Tony laughs when he places a soft kiss on his lower back.

 

“I love you, too,” he murmurs back, catching Steve’s blue eyes.

 

And then he can feel the head of Steve’s cock at his entrance, and the muscles in his stomach and back tense right before _oh_.  He loves the feeling of Steve inside of him, loves when Steve fills him up, loves settling down into Steve’s lap, and that second where they catch their breaths before it starts.

 

“Let go,” Tony suddenly says, frantically searching for Steve’s eyes, “Let go.”

 

“Tony, I could hurt you.”  He shakes his head, the muscles in his back twitching when Steve leans forward.  “I don’t even know how strong I am.”

 

“I can take it.  I know I can,” Tony says, firm.

 

“Tony—”

 

“Steve,” he cuts him off, “ _let go_.”

 

Anything else he might have hoped to say is lost in the long moan that tears from him, a noise Tony will steadfastly deny for the rest of his life, as Steve pulls out of him, takes his hips, and slams back in.  The force of it shakes through Tony’s body, and he actually staggers forward a little, but he tightens his arms, bracing against the headboard.  Steve is fast and quick, and Tony can barely stay attached to his brain as his body is abused.

 

“If I’m letting go—” Steve growls, his voice a husky tone that Tony doesn’t recognize, “—then you have to.”

 

Tony takes one, long shuddering breath before his back arches into one of Steve’s thrusts, and he opens up, coming undone as Steve abuses and loves him, destroying all of his control until he’s grinding back down into Steve’s lap, trying to keep his cock inside of him, his whole body shaking, and these _noises_ welling up from somewhere deep inside of him.

 

This open, vulnerable Tony breaks Steve apart, as well, and he needs something, anything to do with his mouth and hands.  He reaches up to lace his fingers with Tony’s on the headboard, who seems grateful to have him there, for he holds onto Steve’s hands strongly, though Steve can still feel the tremble of Tony’s body through his tight grip.  He busies his mouth with Tony’s back, marking and claiming.  When he changes his angle to kiss and bite at his shoulders, Tony actually chokes out a soft scream, his head dropping away, and Steve moans into the back of his neck, burying his face in the soft curls of Tony’s black hair and panting out obscenities and dirty, lusty things he’d never say in a right frame of mind.

 

“Steve,” Tony suddenly whimpers, and Steve doesn’t know what tone that is because it’s such a mixture of everything, need and want and pain and ecstasy and— _pain_.  Steve hones in on that instantly, and he starts to slow until Tony clenches his thighs, and _oh_ , _that_ pain.  He carefully releases one of Tony’s hands, returning to his previous, bruising rhythm and speed, one that makes the smaller body in front of him beg and shake and _need_.

 

The second his fingers touch Tony’s cock, Tony moans, long and low, before his head suddenly turns, and he bites Steve’s arm.  He can see it, can see it in Tony’s closed eyes and the way his back tightens almost painfully, can see that he’s trying to hold on, trying to stay away from the edge.

 

“Steve,” Tony groans, rocking his hips upward, begging, and Steve loosely wraps his fingers around Tony’s long cock, stroking him so slowly that Tony is making all these beautiful noises that Steve nearly loses it.

 

“Tony,” he pants, seeking out his neck and kissing just behind his ear, right where Tony likes it.  Tony trembles violently, head snapping back, mouth open in a breathless pant.  He feels the heat in his belly explode, and he’s _right there_.  He bites the spot, the spot that tickles and arouses and makes Tony’s ass tighten, his whole body tense, as a searing and gasping orgasm rips through Tony, who pushes his head against the headboard, choking out a long stream of incoherent words and moans.  Steve breaks at the sight, tipping right over the edge, one hand holding painfully onto Tony’s and the other releasing his cock to grip his hip.  He buries his face into Tony’s back, biting his side and moaning, loud and clear, Tony’s name.

 

They don’t move right away.  They stay together, panting and shaking, until Steve pulls back, Tony’s slack hands falling away from the headboard.  He pulls out of Tony before settling the smaller man on his lap, Steve resting on his heels.  “Hell,” Tony mumbles, turning his face into Steve’s neck and breathing out.  His body is weak and unresisting in Steve’s hands, and he knows it’s going to be hell for Tony to move.

 

“I’m going to go run a bath, okay?” Steve whispers against Tony’s hair, eyes closed and breathing slow.  Tony nods, tries to push himself up, and fails.  He sighs in frustration, though he relaxes back into Steve’s embrace, who laughs.  He lifts Tony up and lays him on the bed, where he sticks his tongue out and reclines onto his back.  Steve can still see a slight tremble to his body, and he frowns lightly, concerned.

 

Tony meets him in the bathroom ten minutes later, walking slowly.  The temperature is finally right, and so Steve climbs in, looking over at Tony, who smiles softly and steps in carefully, making sure not to step _on_ Steve.  He settles into his embrace, relaxing his head to Steve’s shoulder and turning his jaw so he can kiss his neck.

 

“That was… beyond words, really,” Tony says happily.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Sore as fuck, but I’ll be okay.  Definitely worth it.  You, though, Mister America, what the hell was that?”  Steve hides his face in Tony’s hair, though he can’t help the shy smile that has stretched his mouth.  “Whatever, it was hot.  God, I’ve never been _spanked_ before.  I didn’t even know I liked that.  Maybe it’s just because it’s you.  Regardless—”

 

“Shut up,” Steve commands, biting that spot behind his ear, and Tony obliges, shivering and taking one of Steve’s arms to wrap around him.  Steve just smiles and kisses his temple.

 

Tony logs through a few security locks an hour later before settling against Steve’s chest and sighing.  Steve leans his book on Tony’s shoulder, and that’s how they spend the rest of their day.  And all is well until the following day when Tony is sitting behind his desk at Stark Industries, and a chill creeps into the room.

 

He looks up just as the door closes.  “Anthony Stark,” Loki says, folding his hands together, “Oh, how I’ve longed to speak to you.  I don’t know what it is about you.  It seems you can attract anyone.”  Tony tries to maintain his composure, but his chest has flared with sudden, blinding pain, so bad he can hardly breathe.  “Hurts, doesn’t it?” Loki whispers, coming closer, and Tony gasps as he lifts a fist and twists it.  “Ah, what’s this?”  As if the pressure on his heart wasn’t enough, he can feel _something_ lick along the inside rim of the reactor.  And then it’s gone, and Tony can feel his heart failing.

 

“I learned this new trick,” Loki goes on, shrugging and linking his fingers together, “Learned it while I was away.  It’s especially useful on people who have bad hearts because I reach right inside of them and, well, ruin _everything_.”

 

Tony reaches into his pocket as Loki moves forward again, and he struggles to keep his breathing under control, to not show how weak he is.  He finds the little device, and he pulls it out with shaking fingers.  He can very clearly remember taking it with him this morning, for no particular reason other than it was on his desk, and he’d picked it up.

 

There’s an engraved A on the underside of his desk because Nick is ridiculous, and he presses his finger to it before clicking the button on the device.  His own body goes into a painful state of paralysis the same time Loki collapses to the ground.  And then his heart stops.

 

\--

 

“Maria, coordinates,” Steve commands as the elevator doors open to the garage.

 

“Stark Industries,” she says after a moment.  The team stops, curious.  “The one in Tony’s office.  Head over there, I’m going to call him.”

 

“Take the car.  Natasha, you—”

 

“I’m driving!”  They all look over as Pepper races out of the elevator.  “Tony’s heart stopped three minutes ago.  Jarvis has been running tests since yesterday, and they didn’t severe the connection,” she explains.

 

“Thor, take the skies,” Steve commands, frantic, “Widow, Hawkeye, with Pepper.”

 

“If it’s just him—”

 

“No,” Steve cuts Clint off, “He wouldn’t have used the button.  Go.”  Steve takes his motorcycle, shoving an ear-piece in that pulls up a blue-tinted screen.  “Jarvis, do you have eyes?”

 

“Negative, Mister Rogers.  Did Tony give you this?”

 

“Just in case.  Can you get into the mainframe of Stark Industries?”

 

“Affirmative.”

 

“Alright, I want the building locked down, and no one is to get in or out until we arrive.  Can you double the oxygen in Tony’s office?”

 

“That will help reverse the paralysis, sir.”  When Steve doesn’t say anything, Jarvis goes on, “He sacrificed himself to paralyze Loki, Mister Rogers.”

 

“Okay.  Oxygenate anyway.  Patch me over to the others.”  He waits for the static to pass before speaking, “Loki is paralyzed in Tony’s office.  Thor, through the window.”

 

“Nearly there.”

 

When Steve pulls up, it’s been ten minutes.

 

“I’ve called for an ambulance,” Pepper shouts as Natasha and Clint hurry out.

 

“Work on evacuating the building.  Keep an eye out for anything suspicious.  I think he’s alone, but just in case.”

 

Steve takes the elevator, which Jarvis speeds up, and, when he exits, Thor is walking Loki out of the office.  “He needs you,” he nods to the office.

 

“Widow, head up to help guard Loki.”  Steve runs into the office to find Tony slumped on the floor.  He hurries over and is about to lift him when Tony suddenly points to the Iron Man suitcase on the other side of the room.  He gets it without question, and Tony slips right into it.  He can already see Jarvis working, patching him back together.  When the mask comes up, Tony smiles weakly.

 

“I need a new heart,” he mumbles, “I don’t want a doctor.  I just want to go home and look at Jarvis’ results.”

 

Steve nods, “I can do that.”

 

\--

 

“Heart-specific vitamin shake,” Steve repeats.

 

“Twice a day,” Tony nods, “Surgery without the cutting.  It will slowly strength my heart.  My own concoction.”

 

“First elements, and now this.  You kill me.”

 

“I’m just a genius.”

 

“Uh, yea.  Pretty much.  So, now what?”

 

“We’re going on a date.  And maybe my charm will woo you into my bed.”

 

“Oh yea?  Where are we going?”

 

“Surprise.  Go put a suit on.”

 

Steve rolls his eyes, but he obliges, kissing Tony on the mouth before exiting the lab.  He finishes up a few things before going upstairs where he creeps into the bathroom and grins wickedly.  After that, Steve takes his clothes into a separate room, pointing a finger at Tony until the smaller man rolls his eyes and lets him leave.  Tony goes simple, just nice black pants, a white button-up, a black vest, and a black suit jacket.  He’s just finishing with his tie when Steve pushes the door open with his shoulder, flicking through envelopes.  Tony pauses, staring at him.  He’s wearing black pants and a white button-up, just the same, but then there’s the maroon vest, hanging open, and the black suspenders that make Tony’s mouth go dry.

 

“Tony,” Steve says, swatting at him with the envelopes.  When Tony doesn’t respond, Steve sighs and clicks over to him in his shiny black shoes, one hand curling around the back of Tony’s head before he presses a kiss to his forehead.  “I’m not even dressed yet,” he sighs, softly carding his fingers into the curls at the nape of his neck and dipping his nose to rub against Tony’s.

 

“I thought I had a uniform kink, but never mind that.  You look _delicious_.”

 

“Uniform kink?” Steve repeats, looking down at him.

 

“Military,” Tony confirms before shrugging and reaching up to circle his arms around Steve’s waist, “I almost like it more than the Captain America one.  I don’t know what it is.  It just gets to me.”

 

“Mm, maybe we’ll have to explore that sometime.”

 

“Wait,” Tony says, leaning away from Steve’s approaching kiss, “The other night you said _you_ had a kink you wanted to talk to me about.”

 

“That was forever ago.”

 

“Was not.  What is it?”

 

“We’ll talk about it later.”  Steve’s eyes flick down, and he presses a quick kiss to Tony’s temple again before retreating to finish his dressing.  Tony is having none of that, though, and he follows Steve out of the room and into the normally unused one where his black jacket and black tie are residing.

 

“C’mon,” Tony whines, nudging him, “Does it have to do with the shield?  Because I will literally combust if it does.”

 

“Well, if you combust, then there’s nothing for us to try,” Steve shrugs, slipping on his tie and turning to Tony.

 

Tony obligatorily moves to tie it, talking as he does, “You’re shitting me, right?  The shield?”  Steve doesn’t answer, but Tony can see the confirmation in the shifting of his eyes.  “How?”

 

Steve thanks him with a quick smile as he finishes with his tie, slips into his jacket, and then dips his head, lips gracing Tony’s ear.  He curls one hand over the smaller man’s hip, and he can feel Tony shiver against him as Steve kisses his jaw.  “With you bent over it,” he purrs, and Tony groans softly, another shiver shaking through him, “gasping,” Steve pauses to lick the curve of his ear, “moaning,” he bites along Tony’s ear and jaw until he hits that spot, and Tony’s body jerks, but Steve knows he’s trying to keep still, to keep Steve in this frame of mind, this mood, “and breaking apart,” Steve pulls back to curl his hand around Tony’s neck and smirk, “while I fuck you hard and slow,” he finishes by pulling Tony toward him, connecting their mouths and drawing a strangled moan from Tony.

 

“But,” Steve suddenly says, stepping away from Tony, who follows him with a staggering step, eyes blinking open slowly, eyes that are barely blue, pupils blown wide.  His chest heaves in a long breath, and he stares at Steve, disbelieving.  “I’m hungry, and you promised me a restaurant.”

 

Tony opens his mouth and closes it again without saying anything, and Steve swallows.  “Okay,” Tony finally says with a nod, “Let’s go.”  Steve watches his face transform into a wicked grin, and he glares playfully before nodding and taking Tony’s hand.  Tony’s eyes go wide again because they very rarely hold hands, and so Steve takes care to lace their fingers and squeeze his hand before inclining his head toward the door.

 

They’ve played this game before, at funds and when they’re feeling like torturing each other.  Tony’s always better at it, especially because he’s figured Steve out so quickly and so well, but Steve is getting there, slowly learning everything and anything he can about Tony’s buttons to push him over the edge.

 

The restaurant is beautiful, and Tony makes sure to flirt with the waitress, but it’s Steve that captures her attention with his wide smiles, perfect hair, blue, _blue_ eyes, and hero status.  They chatter throughout dinner, their conversations full with lewd comments, innuendos, and straying eyes.

 

“So, that shield idea,” Tony says as they exit, but Steve shakes his head.

 

“You’re taking me to a movie.”

 

“What?”

 

“Yup.  There’s probably something out that is interesting.  Oh, we could see that one, the political thriller one.”

 

“Oh my God, Steve, it’s not a thriller.  But,” Tony pauses, smirking devilishly, “We could see a thriller.”  Steve arches an eyebrow, and Tony just reaches over to take his hand.  “Trust me?”

 

“Not with that look,” Steve says, but he leans in to kiss Tony’s temple regardless, “Fine.  How scary?”

 

“You might break my hand.”

 

Steve sighs, but he nods.  “Okay.  Gives me reason to hide in your neck,” he says, and Tony lets out a gasp of air as Steve suddenly turns and pushes him against the wall of an alley.  They’re right on the corner, entirely visible, but that doesn’t stop Steve from dipping his head and licking a curve around Tony’s neck, who, in turn, groans and grips Steve’s hand tightly.  “And afterward,” Steve continues, reaching up to nibble along Tony’s jaw, “I’ll bury myself inside of you, and you’ll keep me safe.”

 

“Fucking hell, Steve,” Tony groans, reaching up his free hand to take Steve’s jaw between his thumb and forefinger and smash their mouths together.  They kiss hotly, tongues slipping against one another’s, tasting each other’s mouths, but it’s short, and Tony whines when Steve pulls back, biting on his bottom lip.  He straightens, bringing Tony with him, and he reaches up a hand to swipe his thumb along Tony’s bitten and swollen lip.

 

“I can’t wait to fuck you tonight,” Steve whispers, and Tony’s breath rushes out.

 

“You’re making it very hard for me to stay publically decent.”

 

“Oh yea?”

 

“Yea,” Tony murmurs before fitting his mouth to Steve’s again, forcing out a slow, soft kiss.  “Movie.  Let’s go.”  He takes Steve’s hand and wiggles out from underneath him, pulling the super soldier after him.

 

Steve certainly does hide during the movie.  He doesn’t hold Tony’s hand, but instead wraps one around his thigh and clenches the other on his own leg, peeking over Tony’s shoulder, who just smiles at him.  “You are utterly adorable,” he whispers as the credits roll.  “Honestly, have you ever seen a horror movie?”

 

“That was terrifying,” Steve comments, pointing at the screen, “God, you know what, just for that, you’re buying me ice cream.”

 

“We are _never_ going to have sex tonight if you keep forcing me places,” Tony points out, standing and yawning, “And look, now I’m tired.”

 

“We’ll just get ice cream on the way,” Steve says, following the smaller man out, “Besides, I thought this was supposed to be a romantic date.  You can’t just present me with delicious food and then expect me to crawl back into bed after.  I want a _real_ date.”

 

“Whatever, Cinderella.”

 

“Oh, shut up.”

 

As they make their way out of the theatre, people pointing and taking pictures on their camera phones, Steve drapes an arm around Tony’s shoulders and pulls him close, to which Tony smiles and leans into Steve’s always warm body.  They skip ice cream, but their pace is slow and lazy as they make their way back toward the restaurant where they left the car.  They’re about to cross the street when Steve stiffens, brow furrowing.

 

“What’s up?” Tony asks, straightening away from Steve as he takes his arm back and turns halfway, looking down the alley.

 

“I thought I… heard something,” he finishes, frowning as a bang sounds at the end of the alley.

 

“It just sounds like someone screwing around near the dumpster,” Tony says, trying to coax Steve away from the alley.  “Come on,” he sighs when Steve steps away from Tony, “I don’t have the suit, and you’re in nice clothes.”

 

“Just stay behind me,” Steve says, approaching the alley slowly.  The sound of _something_ against the dumpster rings out again, and Tony reaches forward to grab at Steve’s jacket.  “What?” Steve hisses, looking over his shoulder.

 

“Please.  Just leave it.”  Tony rubs his chest, where his heart is thudding painfully, and Steve frowns.

 

“I just want to make sure it isn’t someone hurt, okay?  If it’s a drunk or something dangerous, I’ll leave it alone, okay?” he whispers, looking down at Tony, who rolls his eyes and nods.  He hangs back a few steps while Steve keeps up his slow pace, peering through the darkness.  “Is someone there?” he calls out, and Tony sighs as another thud crashes against the dumpster followed by a heavy groan and a throaty cough.  Steve instantly sprints forward, leaving Tony to hurry after him; he’ll be damned if he’s going to leave Steve alone in a dark alley.

 

 _Something_ suddenly falls into a sliver of moonlight, and Steve gasps, rushing over and dropping to a knee.  “Tony!” he calls, waving at him.  He pulls the body toward him, cradling him in his arms.  “We have to take him back to the mansion.  God, he’s bleeding everywhere,” Steve says softly, shaking his head before leaning down to check for breath.  “Okay, he’s alive.  Woah!”  Tony jumps back as the body thrashes out of Steve’s arms.

 

His face catches the moonlight, pained, bloodied, and male.  He ends up on his hands and knees, and he struggles to push himself upright, staring wide-eyed at Steve.  “Nice costume,” Tony says, and Steve rolls his eyes, glaring at him.  The man is dressed in red and blue with a large black spider on his chest, though the material is ripped in places where he’s wounded.

 

“Never heard of Spiderman?” the man snaps, his voice deep and scratchy.

 

Tony’s eyes widen immediately, and he steps forward, curling a hand over Steve’s shoulder.  It clicks all at once, and Tony nods.  “To be honest, I kind of thought you were a myth, considering there’s never anything in the papers,” Tony comments.

 

“I’ve been keeping it low key.  Who the hell are you two?”

 

“Wait,” Steve says, looking up at Tony, “Spiderman?”

 

“Nick hasn’t been able to find him.”

 

“Oh my God, you’re Steve Rogers.”  Recognition is dawning on the man’s face, and he forces himself onto his knees, chest heaving, “Nick has found me.  The low key is his doing.  He’s worried about Loki coming after anyone else.  He doesn’t want him to know I exist.”

 

“Then what’s happened to you?”

 

“Exactly what he was trying to prevent.”  His breath is coming quicker now, and his voice is pained.

 

Steve straightens, brushing off his knees.  “Let us take you back to the mansion,” he offers, and Tony shakes his head.

 

“He’s still fuming about you calling him out on _just_ being the director of SHIELD and letting me on the team; he’s going to flip out if we bring him back.”

 

“He doesn’t need to be on the team,” Steve snaps, frustrated, “But we can’t leave him here.”

 

“I can hear you,” Spiderman says, sighing, “My name is Peter, by the way.”

 

“Steve, he’s going to—” Tony cuts himself off, sighing as Peter sways and collapses.  “Come on, get him and we’ll head back.”

 

Steve scoops Peter up in his arms before turning to Tony, “I’m so confused.”

 

“Peter, or Spiderman, was bitten by a radioactive spider two years ago.  I’ve seen stories about him in the paper and heard people talk about him, but it was never really anything special.  This is the first time I’ve ever actually seen him.  He looks in a pretty bad way, though.”  Steve just nods, and they make their way across the street quickly.  Steve keeps Peter with him because they’re in Tony’s car, and he doesn’t even comment when Tony drives over the speed limit.  “I’m gonna call Pepper,” Tony says when Peter shakes violently, his whole body convulsing until Steve holds him still.

 

“Tony,” Pepper answers a few moments later.

 

“Hey, can you and Natasha meet me in the lab?  Steve and I are about five minutes away.  We, uh, we picked someone up, and he’s badly injured.”

 

“Any symptoms that I can work with?” she asks before calling for Natasha over the intercom in the mansion.

 

“High fever, muscle spasms, possibly internal bleeding, external bleeding,” Steve lists, looking Peter over.

 

“And he passed out,” Tony adds.

 

“Any idea who he is?”

 

“Spiderman.”

 

“Honestly, Tony.”

 

“His name is Peter,” Steve offers.

 

“Alright.  We’ll be in the lab.”

 

Steve waits while Tony shuts the car down before they hurry through a set of doors and down a hallway toward Tony’s lab.  They set Peter up on the metal slab Tony has perched on so many times himself, and Natasha enters with a set of clothes from Clint as Pepper searches for a way to remove the Spiderman outfit.  In only a matter of moments, it becomes quickly obvious that Steve and Natasha are useless here, and they sit off to the side, carefully positioned away from each other, while Tony and Pepper work, hooking him up to the different medical machines, and an hour later, they’re moving Peter upstairs.  They set him up in a guest room across the hall from Steve’s room, his torso wrapped to protect his bruised and battered ribs and a heart monitor connected to Tony’s phone.  He manages to coax Steve back to their bedroom and away from fussing over Peter only five minutes after they’ve finished getting him comfortable.

 

“He’ll be okay,” Tony promises, pulling Steve toward the bed.

 

“He’s so young.”

 

“So are you.  And don’t even give me that technically not bullshit because then I feel like I’m sleeping with an old hag, and that creeps me the fuck out.”

  
“An old hag,” Steve huffs, pushing Tony away from him.

 

“Oh no, don’t,” Tony whines, “I was kidding.”  Steve laughs as Tony scrambles back toward him, pouting.  He noses into Steve’s neck, mumbling incoherently and shaking a fit of giggles through Steve.

 

“Tony,” he says, trying to get a hold on the squirming body.  “Tony, stop.”  Tony’s fingers flit over him, touching sensitive spots and _tickling_.  He gasps for breath, desperately trying to push Tony away, but then Tony suddenly jumps away from him, and Steve pulls in a shaky breath as he straddles Steve’s hips.  “Tony.”

 

“Steve.”

 

They each take a few breaths, staring at each other before Steve takes control, flipping Tony quickly onto his back.  And then Tony sighs and curls a hand around Steve’s neck, bringing their mouths together in a bruising, needy kiss.  Steve grabs at him, nails digging into Tony’s sides, and Tony gasps away from their kiss, back arching as Steve grinds up into his hips.  Steve immediately takes advantage of his position, reaching up to bite the sensitive spot behind Tony’s ear, and Tony positively _shakes_.

 

Tony rocks up into him as Steve continues around his neck and throat, pausing once to push himself up on his knees and Tony back down onto the mattress.  He motions at Tony’s nice shirt before he fumbles quickly with the buttons to his.  In moments, they’re back together, naked chests pressed together as Steve reaches around for Tony’s ass and pulls him up.  Tony’s back collides with the mattress again, and he stares at Steve with blue-rimmed eyes, pupils blown wide with lust.  Steve follows him, and Tony groans, nails digging into Steve’s back as the super soldier kisses along his jaw and neck again.  They move together, fast and needy, until Steve bites into Tony’s shoulder, sucking mercilessly.  Tony squirms, breath quick, and, when Steve pulls away, the skin is bruised and puckered.

 

“Steve,” Tony pants, and Steve stretches over to the nightstand, gripping one of Tony’s hips to still him.

 

“Tony, _stop_ ,” he commands when Tony continues to rut against him.

 

“ _Steve_.”

 

“I’m going to tie you down if you don’t stop.”  Steve hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but Tony’s reaction is entirely unexpected.  The smaller man continues to move, faster, even, and Steve can see the glint in his eye.  “Really?”

 

“My tie.”

 

“Tony.”

 

“Fuck, Steve, I _want_ you to.”  Tony stills his hips, chest heaving.  Steve pauses a moment longer before reaching over to the other side of the bed and rifling through their clothes for Tony’s tie.  Tony distracts him with a long and deep kiss, sucking on his tongue and biting his lips until they’re red and swollen, but then he’s forcibly motionless, and Steve thinks he could _really_ grow to love this.

 

He removes Tony’s pants in an agonizingly slow manner, to which Tony groans and grumbles about how much he hates him, all the while struggling against the tie around his wrists and hands, which are above his head now.  He tries briefly to move his arms up to grab awkwardly at Steve, but then Steve leans back, straightening.

 

“Stay still,” he orders, and Tony submits into the mattress, grinning wickedly.

 

Steve bends over him to grab a few of their pillows, and Tony watches with interest as his hips are propped up before Steve strips from his nice pants, freeing his erection.  Tony stares at him hungrily, wriggling until Steve gets back on the bed and curls a hand around his hip.  “Are you going to be good?” he asks softly, and Tony nods, biting his lip.

 

Steve wastes no time in coating his fingers and slipping two in, causing Tony to gasp and arch off his pillows, coming back down with a long groan as Steve rubs over his prostate.  Steve lets Tony fuck down onto his fingers, adding a third and sneaking a fourth in, which causes Tony to twitch in discomfort for only a moment before he lets out a shaky breath and relaxes his body.

 

Sex with Tony tied up turns out to be one of Steve’s favorite things.  He loves to watch Tony arch under him, completely helpless, and he’s allowed the chance to mark his body and tease him with a slow rhythm until Tony is begging and writhing, and Steve gives him exactly what he wants, holding onto him tightly and slamming into him.

 

It’s quick, as they’ve been pining after each other all day, and Tony is weak and unresisting when Steve finally pulls the pillows out from underneath him.  And when Tony wakes up the next morning, Steve’s always hot breath puffs against his cheek.

 

He blinks through the blinding sun, groaning and stretching.  Steve’s muscles shift underneath him as he moves, and Tony can’t help but smirk.  He doesn’t know how they got this way, Tony half on top of Steve, back-to-chest, with his left arm stretched above his head, his right holding Steve’s arm over his chest, and their legs tangled together.  Tony stretches again, and Steve’s hand tightens against his side.

 

“Stop,” he murmurs, tongue darting out to lick the curve of Tony’s ear.

 

Tony laughs.  “Your voice says one thing,” he teases, grinding down into Steve’s hardening cock, “But your body is begging for me.”

 

“I’m tired.”

 

“Then let me take care of you.”

 

Steve sighs and unwinds his arm from around Tony’s chest, giving the smaller man free reign.  Tony takes charge, quickly snatching up the minty lube and slicking his own fingers.  He uses Steve’s shoulder as an anchor, lifting his hips and sliding his hand south.  Steve reacts to this immediately, a shiver running through him before he wraps one hand around Tony’s side to help hold him.  Tony’s other hand balances against the mattress, and he smiles when Steve’s mouth finds his neck with soft, tired kisses.

 

Tony is quick with his prepping, eager to have Steve inside of him, and it appears Steve hadn’t quite thought all the way ahead as Tony slicks his cock, balances both hands on Steve’s hips, and slowly lowers himself down, breath coming quick and fast.

 

“Fuck,” Steve gasps suddenly, and Tony groans when his teeth find his shoulder.  Tony moves slowly, rocking over Steve’s cock, but it’s an awkward angle, and his wrists hurt.  Steve notices almost immediately, and he pushes at Tony until he moves enough to allow Steve to roll, pulling out as he does.  He settles Tony on his back.  “I want to see you,” he whispers before he pushes Tony’s legs into a bend and buries himself deep, tearing a moan from Tony.

 

Steve immediately adopts a rough and slow pace, pulling out almost entirely, pausing, and slamming back in until Tony’s body shakes.  Their mouths wage a constant war, whether on lips or skin, and Tony’s nails claw at Steve’s back and shoulders, his own body arching desperately into Steve’s.

 

Neither of them hear the footsteps.

 

“Steve,” Tony gasps, one hand slipping to his neck and tugging at the blonde hairs, “Steve, fuck.”  Steve seeks out Tony’s mouth, teeth nipping at his bottom lip until he kisses him fully, sucking on his tongue until Tony is moaning and begging for _faster, God please._

Steve obliges, hips snapping quickly and roughly.  Tony squirms underneath him, knees pressed between them, until Steve growls and shoves his knees straight, hitching Tony’s legs instead around his chest.  He fucks him fast, and Tony pants out obscenities, fisting one of his hands in Steve’s hair while the other clenches around the sheets.

 

The door crashes open suddenly, and Steve careens to a halt.  Tony chokes on a moan as Steve slides over his prostate, and he has to squeeze his eyes shut to hold onto his control as Steve’s head snaps toward the door.  Coulson stands there agape with Natasha behind him.  Steve has no idea what they’re doing together, but then he can hear Pepper’s voice down the hall, and it suddenly makes sense.

 

“I _told_ you to knock!  He _is not_ interested in you, Natasha!  For Christ’s sake, _Coulson_?”  Pepper reaches in front of them, not looking into the room, and slams the door shut.  “What did you say to him?” she screams at Natasha.

 

“I just—”

 

“ _I don’t actually care_!  Coulson, please, never listen to this psychotic _bitch_!  She is trying to ruin what is a perfectly happy, healthy, and loving relationship!  If she comes to you again about some horrible thing going on with either of them, _just assume she’s full of shit_!”

 

Tony blinks as Natasha starts to shout back and Pepper screams her into silence.  Their voices start to drift away as Steve finally turns his gaze back to Tony, who looks at Steve’s face for a long moment.  “No, fuck, fuck, no, Steve,” he gasps as the super soldier starts to pull away.  He chases after him, but Steve is faster, and Tony thuds back onto the bed, his breath flying out of him in a grunt.  Steve goes to grab a pair of pants as Tony pushes himself off the bed, groaning.  It’s nearly impossible to walk, but he hurries over to Steve, grabbing his shoulder.

 

“What are you going to do?” he demands, pushing Steve against the dresser, “They certainly don’t want to talk to you right now, and we’re _both_ in a bit of a situation right now.”

 

“This is the second time she’s done this, Tony!” Steve shouts, and Tony steps backs, surprised at his quick jump to anger, “The first time, I just shrugged it off, but she is _deliberately_ doing this.”

 

“When did she do this before?” he asks quietly, crossing his arms.

 

“One night when you fell asleep in the lab.  I was swimming, and she came onto me in the pool, _naked_ ,” he adds, looking away.  Tony stays quiet, thinking, but Steve takes it the wrong way and starts to put on his pants.

 

“Steve!” he yells, reaching for his wrist, but Steve snaps back.

 

“I have to go talk to her.”

 

“What about me?”

 

“I’ll be back.”

 

“Are you fucking _serious_?” Tony shouts when Steve walks away, and he immediately stops, turning.  Something different storms Steve’s eyes suddenly, and Tony gulps, angling his body so that he’s facing Steve.  The super soldier seems to struggle with himself for a moment before he strides toward Tony, grabbing him around the thighs and lifting him.

 

“Shit,” Tony curses, grabbing for Steve’s shoulders so as not to fall, but Steve slams him into the mattress anyway.

 

Tony’s breath hitches into a breathy scream as Steve shoves down his pants and buries himself inside of Tony, immediately crashing into a bruising speed.  Steve is animalistic, growling as he holds Tony’s hips down, his back straight as he pounds into Tony, abusing his body.  Tony bends from the touch, back arching off the bed, and his hands fist in the sheets, his breath coming out in sharp gasps and loud moans.

 

Steve suddenly takes one hand from Tony’s hips, and the smaller man groans when his strong fingers curl around his throbbing cock, pumping quickly.  “Fuck—God— _Steve_.”  Tony comes undone, spilling over Steve’s hand and his stomach, gasping and arching almost violently.  Steve thrusts hard into Tony, pressing over his prostate as Tony’s body shakes with his orgasm, and Steve breaks at the sight of Tony’s sweat-slicked skin, begging to be abused by him.  He buries himself as he comes, gasping and clenching tightly on Tony’s hip so that he’ll have bruises in the morning.

 

When Tony’s ass finally settles back on the mattress, his face contorts into pain and exhaustion, and Steve pulls out slowly, chest heaving.  “Are you okay?” he asks softly, and Tony nods, opening his eyes to look down at Steve.

 

“Are you mad at me?” he immediately questions, and Steve frowns, quickly moving up to kiss Tony firmly on the mouth.

 

“No.  I’m sorry.  I overreacted.”

 

“I didn’t mean to snap at you.  I’m just—I was going to be really pissed off if you left then.”

 

“I know.  Which is why I didn’t.  I shouldn’t have even thought to leave.  I’m sorry.”

 

Tony reaches up to wrap his arms around Steve’s neck, pulling him down until they’re lying together.  “Spoon with me, and I’ll forgive you.”

 

“Spooning always leads to other things.”

 

“Just because _your_ cock is interested in _my_ ass,” Tony snaps with a smile, “Come on, you’re too big for me to be big spoon.  Just tell him to stay disinterested for the time being.”

 

“Because you’d totally deny sex.”

 

“Whatever, old hag.”

 

Steve glares playfully before pulling Tony toward the top of the bed, who grunts at being manhandled.  After spoon-inspired sex, they shower and then part ways, Tony to his lab and Steve to Peter’s room.

 

“Hi,” Steve says softly, closing the door behind him.  “Has anyone else been by?”

 

“You’re the first,” Peter says, pushing himself up until he’s resting against the headboard.  “Thank you, Mister Rogers.  I’m sorry I was such an ass last night.”

 

“You were in a lot of pain,” Steve waves him away, “And, trust me, that was nothing compared to Tony.”

 

“Are you two—uhm—well, you know.”

 

“We are.”

 

“Publically?”

 

Steve sits at Peter’s feet, nodding.  “We got a lot of shit for it, at first.  But we’d already been hiding for nearly six months, and it was getting really hard.  No one outside of the Avengers knew, and there were reputations to maintain that weren’t actually _us_ anymore.  And then they passed that law seven months ago, and I was one of the first in the military to come out.  Tony and I have been public since then.”

 

“Wow,” Peter smiles, “That’s great.  I’ve heard of you guys, I have, but Nick really wanted me out of sight.  Before last night, I was considered dead.”

 

“ _What_?”

 

“Nick wanted me to fake my own death so that Loki couldn’t find me.”

 

“He should have just brought you here.  I’ll speak to him today, but Peter, you are more than welcome to stay at the mansion.  How are you feeling, by the way?”

 

“In pain, but I’ll survive.  Judging by the fact that I can move, I assume my ribs aren’t broken.”

 

“No, just badly bruised.  How did you escape him?”

 

“He can’t actually fly.  He can just levitate for a time, and so I outran him, basically.  His brother is on your team, right?”

 

Steve nods, and he’s about to ask another question when Jarvis’ voice sounds, “Mister Rogers, Tony has bid you join him in the lab.”

 

“I have a new toy!” Tony yells over the intercom, his voice faraway.

 

“I better go indulge him,” Steve says, smiling, “Feel free to roam the house.  I’m going to call Nick on my way downstairs.”

 

“Thanks again, Mister—”

 

“Call me Steve.  Please.”  Peter just nods, and Steve heads out of the room, fishing for his phone in his pocket.

 

“Rogers, I’m a little busy,” Nick growls when he picks up.

 

“When I first met you,” Steve begins calmly, “You never had a harsh word for me.  You told me that the Avengers were going to save the world and protect everyone from harm,” Steve pauses to get into the elevator and press one of the basement buttons.  “And so I wonder—” he continues, “—why Tony and I found Peter Parker unconscious in an alley with bruised ribs and barely breathing, all thanks to our dear Loki.”

 

“Rogers—”

 

“If there are superheroes out there, Nick, faking their own deaths and going into hiding, you need to tell me because _I_ am their captain.  I don’t know how you want me to best explain this.”  Silence falls on the other end as Steve presses his fingers to Tony’s lab door before entering.

 

“Look, Rogers,” Nick sighs, “I’m sorry you found out about Parker.  But he shouldn’t have been easy to find.”

 

“Except he was!” Steve breaks, “You can’t just kill someone off and expect them to live in hiding and fear, especially with Loki!  He has the frost giants raiding the city looking for the heroes that you’ve hidden!  He _knows_!  Nick,” he says tiredly, “We need to discuss a few things later.”  Steve hangs up before looking over at Tony, who is watching him warily.  “I don’t want to talk about it.  What’s your new toy?”

 

“I, uh—I may have bought us something.  Well, it’s mostly for you, but I thought we could both work on it.  I know you like them,” Tony trails off as he steps away and reveals a cherry red Buick Skylark convertible.

 

Steve’s jaw drops, and Tony smiles shyly.  “What year?” he asks, slowly making his way over.

 

“1967.  Do you like it?”

 

“It’s gorgeous.  Tony—”

 

“It didn’t cost a lot,” Tony quickly cuts him off, “I thought it would be fun.  Please don’t be mad.  I know how you are about gifts and my cars.”

 

“Tony,” Steve stills him, cupping his jaw, “Thank you.”  He leans down to kiss him lovingly, and, when he pulls back, Tony’s smile is wide.

 

They spend the rest of the afternoon working on the new car, and when Nick comes over the intercom asking for Steve, he doesn’t bother to change.  He walks into the meeting room covered in grease, his white t-shirt sticking to him from the heat in the lab and being so close to Tony all day, and his Converse-clad feet announcing his arrival.  Nick turns, and Steve can instantly see the anger building in him at Steve’s obvious lack of care.

 

“Did I interrupt something?” Nick snaps, and that’s all it takes for Steve.  He shrugs and sits down, nodding pointedly at the seat at the head of the table; he’s seated to the right of it.  When Nick refuses to sit, Steve sighs and turns in his seat, crossing his legs.  Nick directs his attention out the window at first, but he finally relents when Steve continues to sit there, staring at him.  “What do you want, Rogers?” he demands, leaning against his podium.

 

“We need to stop butting heads because it’s really starting to look bad.”

 

“If you listened to—”

 

“Nick, _shut up_.”  Nick stares at him, and Steve returns the glare, fingers twitching.  “Look,” Steve finally says, pushing himself into a straighter position and sighing, “This has to stop.  You put me in charge, and you’re jeopardizing this team.”

 

“It was one thing to let Stark onto the team,” Nick growls, overriding him and storming down to get in Steve’s face, “But it’s another thing entirely to assume control over me.  You are in charge of your _team_ ,” Nick spits the word, shoving a finger in Steve’s chest, and it’s the wrong move entirely.

 

Whatever Nick had hoped to conclude with, he falls silent as Steve pushes his chair back and stands.  “Nick,” he warns when Nick steps forward.  He takes a moment, not meeting his glare, and, when he turns back again, his head is on straight and his breathing has calmed.  “Nick.  We cannot keep this up.  You have put me in charge of this team, of the Avengers, and my primary concern is keeping Earth safe.  That includes any of its heroes that are in hiding and believed to be dead.  We cannot afford another Hulk right now.  Things are already dangerous as is with Loki always in Bruce’s head; we _cannot_ risk someone else with strength and power under his control.  Peter was attacked, and he is going to stay here.  It is our job, not only to protect the citizens of Earth, but to shelter and protect the heroes.  I don’t care about them being on the team; quite honestly, I think the team is fine as it is.  That said, I’m not going to ignore them.  As far as Tony goes, we _need_ him on the team.  He deserves a position, and he is an excellent asset.  Don’t,” Steve stops Nick as he opens his mouth, “Don’t tell me that I’m blinded by lust, that I can’t see how bad Tony is for the team because he isn’t.  _This_ is not just coming from me.  Thor was furious when he found out you’d forced Tony into hiding Iron Man.  Tony will remain on the team, Peter will remain in this mansion, and you will compromise with me.  I cannot have you constantly opposing me because then _my_ team won’t respect you.  I do respect you, Nick, and I have so much admiration for you, but you have to stop this.  You need to _listen_.”

 

Steve holds out his hands when he’s finished before taking his seat again and pressing his fingers together.  Nick turns to speak at the same time the warning alarm sounds.  “We have him in captivity,” Nick says as Steve turns.

 

“Emergency lockdown,” Jarvis says suddenly, “Mister Rogers, the lab.”

 

Steve takes off without another word, sprinting down the hall and toward the elevator.  “Captain!” Thor shouts from the stairs as he and Clint jog down.

 

“Loki!  Lab!” Steve shouts before jumping into the elevator.

 

When the doors open again, the travel sped by Jarvis, the entire glass wall leading to Tony’s lab has been smashed open.  Just beyond the doorway, Loki is crumpled on the ground, eyes open wide and swiveling.  His entire body shakes with violent convulsions, and Steve can feel electricity in the air.

 

After Obadiah attacked him, Tony installed volts of electroshock and a system of paralysis into the walls and floors that Jarvis could manage, and Steve immediately recognizes this as Loki’s current state.

 

“What happened?” Clint’s voice says from behind him, and Steve turns, blinking.

 

“I don’t know.  Get him back to his holding cell.  Run a scan on the guarding system.  He shouldn’t have been able to get out.”

 

“Steve—” Thor starts.

 

“I know,” Steve says shakily, stepping through the broken glass.  He can hear Natasha, probably, shouting as she runs down the stairs, though he’s sure Bruce has locked himself away somewhere to avoid contact with Loki.  “Tony?” he calls warily, walking around Loki’s body.

 

“He’s not moving anytime soon,” Clint says, kneeling beside him, but Thor isn’t listening.  He follows Steve, peering around the lab.

 

“Shit.  Cap,” Thor suddenly says, waving at him before hurrying over behind Tony’s dashboard to where Tony is trying to struggle up from the ground.

 

“Tony,” Steve gasps, falling to his knees beside him.

 

Tony points to his chest, his breath coming in short, harsh pants.  “Fuck,” he growls when they just stand there, confused.  Steve moves to help him up, but Tony shakes his head.  “Having—fuck—heart—attack.”  He groans and slumps to the floor.  Steve quickly scoops him up in his arms.

 

“I don’t care what you say, we’re going to the hospital.”  Tony just clutches at his shirt and shakes.  “Clint, Natasha,” Steve says as he jogs over to one of the SUV, “Get Loki back to his cell, scan the systems, interrogate the guards, and add new walls and protections.  Thor, I need you with me.”  Thor nods and climbs into the passenger seat (as he refuses to get a license when he can just fly) while Steve situates Tony in the back.  When he manages to get onto the street, Thor dials Pepper’s number and waits.

 

“Hello?” she answers uncertainly.

 

“Pepper, it’s Steve.  We took one of the SUVs.  Tony is having a heart attack, and we’re taking him to the hospital.  Loki somehow escaped and attacked him.  We—”

 

“I’m on my way,” she says before the line goes dead.

 

By the time they make it to the ER, Tony is unconscious.  Steve sinks against the wall, trembling, while Thor leans against the one opposite him, watching his friend carefully.  After a few minutes, Thor goes to sit next to him, sighing.  “He’s gonna be okay.”

 

“Do you have any idea why Loki is interested in him so much?” Steve asks quietly, not looking up from his hands.

 

Thor sits in silence for a moment before speaking, “It could be any number of things.  I know he’s definitely interested in the arc reactor technology, but it could also be lesser things, like he’s trying to indirectly attack you, break you down, or he’s, well… he’s attracted to him.”  Steve’s head snaps up, but Thor holds up a hand.  “I didn’t really consider it, at first, in London that time.  Then, I thought it was definitely just the tech, like the rest of us thought, but then he showed up at Stark Industries and I just—it was too much of a coincidence that he would go back to Tony.  I think he tried to cover it up by harming him, by doing whatever he did to his heart.  I think he went to Stark Industries to see Tony.  And I think he broke into the lab to try to talk to him.”  Steve stares at him, his heart hammering in his chest almost painfully.  Thor goes on, “I know you don’t want to hear this.  But, well, in Asgard, those were his tendencies, and I never really thought anything about it because he’s just Loki to me, not this evil threat.  I mean, I _know_ he’s evil, but he’s still my brother, and he’s just Loki, and so the idea of him being attracted to Tony didn’t really click until he started showing up again and again.  Steve, I’m sorry.”

 

Steve shakes his head.  “It’s okay.  At least—at least we know what we’re dealing with now.  There’s Pepper.”  Steve pulls himself up to go greet Pepper.  Thor straightens and follows him, and they debrief her on everything that’s happened.  It’s another four hours before they’re allowed to see Tony, who is awake but exhausted.  However, as Steve pushes open the door, a doctor stops him and pulls him aside.

 

“He asked me to explain what’s going on,” the doctor says as the door closes, leaving them outside.  Steve nods, and the doctor takes a deep breath, “He can’t leave this hospital with the heart he currently has.  Any excitement, _at all_ , would paralyze or kill him.  We can perform heart surgery in about two hours, replace his old one with a new one.  There are complications, though.”  Steve nods, biting his lower lip.  “We cannot remove the shrapnel in his chest without doing serious harm.  It also appears, strangely enough, that Mister Stark’s body almost cannot survive without the, uh, the…”

 

“Arc reactor,” Steve provides.

 

“Yes, the arc reactor.  His body makeup has become so accustomed to the… arc reactor, yes, that it would cause a great many complications and many months of bed rest for him to recuperate from removing it.”

 

“How is that even possible?”

 

“Mister Rogers, quite honestly, we have no idea.  Tony Stark is a mystery to us, and he probably will always remain one.  His technology is far beyond anything any of us or our scientists have seen.  But, from our tests, we have acquired the knowledge that to remove the arc reactor would be to either seriously injure or possibly damage his nervous system or brain functionality.”

 

“Okay,” Steve says, running a hand over his face and through his hair, “So, you can replace his heart, but the reactor has to stay?  I don’t see what’s so wrong with that.”

 

“He said the very same thing,” the doctor laughs, “That thing really is a part of him, whether he likes it or not.  It’s extraordinary, really.”

 

“That’s Tony for you.  I think he even surprises himself sometimes.  So, the surgery can be done in two hours?”

 

“Precisely, yes.  We’ll have to prep him a little before then, but we can definitely transfer the hearts.”

 

“Not that I think my say does anything, but I’d like you to do that.”

 

“Your say actually confirms that we can.  Mister Stark has named you his medical proxy.  I just need you to sign this consent form as he’s waved his medical rights.  He wants you to make the decisions.”

 

Steve’s eyes widen as he turns to look through the small window in the door, and Tony’s blue eyes are already staring out at him.  Tony nods, and Steve repeats the gesture before turning back to the doctor.  When he pushes into the room, Pepper steps away from the bed, and Steve stands by the door for a moment, jaw clenched and face expressionless.

 

“Steve,” Tony finally says, and he breaks, nearly sprinting over to Tony.

 

“Don’t ever do that again,” he gasps, pulling Tony into his arms as he sits on the edge of the bed.  Tony wraps his arms around him tightly and buries his face in his chest, eyes closing as he inhales everything that is familiar to him about Steve.  He has never felt more safe or more loved than he does when he’s in Steve’s arms.

 

“I love you,” Tony whispers.

 

Steve lets out a little noise, and Tony bites his lip to stop his own tears as he feels hot wetness whisper across the back of his neck.  He suddenly pulls back, grasping Tony’s face with both of his hands.  “I love you so much,” he mumbles, and Tony nods, lower lip trembling.  Steve strokes a thumb across his cheek before pressing his mouth to Tony’s fiercely.  When they part, Steve leans his forehead against Tony’s, taking in a shaky breath.

 

The next two hours are spent with Steve holding Tony’s hand and remaining seated on his bed while Thor and Pepper pull chairs over to the bed.  They talk and laugh, and they try to keep the atmosphere light until the doctors return to wheel him away.

 

The surgery doesn’t last long, but Tony is unconscious for some time.  When night settles, the doctors leave them alone with him.  Thor has since left to report to the others and be with Jane, but Pepper refuses to leave.  She’s currently asleep in her chair, peaceful-looking, and Steve uses this to his advantage.  He pulls down the sheets and opens Tony’s gown, sucking in a thin breath.

 

Sometimes, when Tony isn’t looking, Steve glances at the palladium-induced crossword around the reactor, wondering if it hurts or is sensitive to the touch.  It scares him a little, to think of all that Tony’s gone through.  And now there’s the red, glistening scar forming on the left side of his chest.  Steve wants to touch it, to pretend it isn’t real, that this hasn’t happened to his love, but he doesn’t, too afraid.

 

“Tony,” he sighs, pushing his black hair away from his forehead, frowning.  “I love you.”  He kisses him lightly on the temple before getting off the bed and going to take a seat.

 

He’s not sure when he falls asleep, but something soft hitting him in the face wakes him.  He blinks as another _marshmallow_ hits his nose.  He looks over to the bed, rolling his eyes when he sees Tony propped up and with a bag of marshmallows in his lap.

 

“How are you feeling?” he ask tiredly, straightening and rubbing his face.

 

“Sore.  The reactor is confused as fuck.”  Steve looks at him fearfully, but Tony waves it away.  “It’s just working a little harder, trying to figure out what’s happened.  How are _you_ , though?  Come here.”

 

Steve obeys, letting Tony take his hand.  “I’m just worried about you,” he admits, “That was really scary.”

 

“Yea.”  Tony rubs a hand over his chest, biting his lip, “It’s weird.  I—uh—I talked to my doctor today.  He gave me a list of things I can’t do, like drinking ever again and sex for a month.”  Steve smiles when Tony rolls his eyes.  “Steve, I want go to on a vacation.  Loki is in captivity.  I want to go somewhere with a beach house.  We could even bring Thor and Jane along.  I want—”

 

“What happened with Loki?” Steve interrupts him, expression tight.

 

Tony looks at him for a long moment before speaking, “Nothing.  He came in, no flare, no trumpets, and I was tinkering with one of the new arm models.  It’s still in the first stages, and so it was unstable.  It essentially shorted out the reactor, but only for a moment.  But you know something.”

 

“Thor thinks—” Steve averts his gaze, “Thor thinks he’s _attracted_ to you.”

 

Silence settles around them until Tony lifts Steve’s hand to his mouth.  “I love you, and no one but you.”

 

Steve smiles, “I love you, too.”

 

\--

 

It had been two months since the incident, and winter had crashed upon them with icy winds and frigid nights.

 

“I flew in the suit yesterday.”

 

“Hm?  Did you die?”

 

Tony laughs, shifting in Steve’s arms.  He drew a bath for the sleepy Steve when he’d finally returned from a rather boring fund Tony had laughed at, and the hot water seems to be getting to him.

 

“It was wonderful,” Tony sighs, “It felt good.  It’s nice to know I’m not going to break, too.”

 

“Mhm.”

 

“Alright, you’re done.  You need to sleep, come on.”  Tony carefully climbs out of the tub, grabs a towel, and then throws one at Steve’s head.  He goes back into the bedroom, and he sets about getting ready for bed.  He fixes their sheets and comforter as he hears the water drain, and Tony climbs onto the large bed naked, pulling a pillow under his head and the sheets up to his waist.  Steve joins him a few moments later, yawing and dragging his feet.  And he’s out cold in seconds, arms wrapped loosely around Tony.

 

In the morning, Tony detaches himself, taking care not to wake Steve.  He presses a sticky note to his forehead after he dresses, and the kitchen is empty while he makes coffee.  In fact, the entire house is quiet, and so no one notices him leave.  It’s a long day at Stark Industries, full of meetings, long phone calls, and piles of paper, but Tony doesn’t mind it.  He always falls into a rhythm at work, broken only by moments with Pepper.

 

He’s just reclining in his chair and staring at a blueprint in front of him when his mobile rings.  “Tony Stark,” he answers it without looking, his blue eyes still fixed on the print.

 

“Steve Rogers.”  Tony blinks and smiles, pushing away from his desk and turning so that he’s facing the window wall.  “I just woke up,” Steve admits.

 

“So you’re still naked in bed?”

 

“Tony.”

 

“Steve.  It’s almost one.”

 

“Have you eaten lunch yet?”

  
“I have not.”

 

“Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll take you out.”

 

“Take thirty.  I need to finish glaring at this blueprint.”

 

“Some stupid project?” Steve mocks, putting on a stuffy voice.

 

“I do _not_ sound like that.  And no, I’m finally designing that gun you asked for.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really.  Now go get wet.  I’ll see you in a bit.”  Tony hangs up as he spins back to the print.  He pushes a tall stack of papers that need to be signed out of the way before commanding Jarvis to remove his computer things.  They disappear in a moment, leaving only a black pad for the keyboard and hangings for the screens.  Jarvis is only built into his office, though he does have some functionality in the rest of the building.  “Jarvis, copy the print.  Uh, bring up a model.  Lock the doors.”

 

“Keycards still active, sir.”

 

“Yup, sure.”  Tony pulls the copied model away from the print, pushing back from his desk again.  “Okay.  Make another model, but separate the parts.  I’m not sure about this yet.”  He fits his hand around the handle, pressuring the trigger, and he frowns, reaching back out and stripping off a few layers to look inside.

 

“You still haven’t signed those,” Pepper sighs as she enters.

 

“Keycards still active, sir,” Jarvis repeats as Tony opens his mouth, and Tony nods.

 

“What’s that?”

 

“A gun,” Tony responds, causing Pepper to roll her eyes.

 

“Tony.”

 

“Pepper.”  He peers into the mainframe before reaching toward the other model and grabbing one of the center pieces.

 

“Tony, we have a new intern.”

 

“Uh huh.”

 

“Her name is Amelia.”

 

“And?”

 

“Amelia, this is Tony Stark.”

 

Tony pokes his head around the model, arching an eyebrow.  “And why is Amelia the intern in my office?”

 

“Because Amelia is interning with me.”

 

“Why do you need an intern?  Pepper, if you’re thinking of quitting, I’ll promote you to CEO again.”

 

“Never,” she says, clicking over, little Amelia the blonde intern following her.

 

“Amelia the intern,” Tony says, looking at her, “Why are you here?”

 

“Stark Industries is playing host to interns at the moment, Tony.  You signed the okay,” Pepper answers.

 

“I did?”

 

“Oh—no, I did.  Amelia is in the top of her class.”

 

“Uh huh.  Pepper, what does this look like?” he finishes, averting his attention back to Pepper.

 

“A gun.”

 

“For?”

 

“A giant?  It’s huge.”

 

“Ah, but it’s beautiful.  It’s just… not right.  Jarvis, color scheme, please.  No,” he sighs when the gun suddenly turns red and gold, “Not _my_ color scheme.  Steve’s.”

 

“You’re making a gun for Steve?” Pepper reprimands.

 

“He asked me to, _at least_ forever ago.”

 

“I asked you to sign these papers last year.”

 

“Really?”

 

“No.  Tony, I was thinking Amelia could sit in with—”

 

“No.”

 

“Tony—”

 

“Pepper,” he says firmly, “I’m working.  This looks like the American Flag threw up.  Tone it down.  More blue, less red.  We don’t need to be flashy.”

 

“Because being inconspicuous is a frequent hobby of yours, Mister Stark.”  Tony chuckles before watching the gun transform again.

 

“Jarvis, a little life-like, please.  Ladies.”  Tony stands from his chair and takes the model gun in his hand again, aiming at the opposite wall.  A loud _bang_ sounds, and Pepper winces while Amelia shrieks, covering her ears.  The wall shatters and crumbles to the ground, but when Tony steps aside, it’s good as new.

 

“Just a simulation, Amelia,” Pepper sighs.  “Tony, those papers.”

 

“Oh, alright.  Jarvis, kill the model.”  He quickly scribbles a few notes on the blueprint before pulling the stack back toward him.  “I only have fifteen minutes, so start showing me what’s what.”

 

“I’ve highlighted all of them.  Amelia, separate them as he finishes.”

 

Tony spends the next fifteen minutes with Amelia the blonde intern before there’s a knock on his door, and Pepper looks up curiously.  “Jarvis.”

 

“Mister Rogers, sir.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Pepper, always a pleasure to see you,” Steve greets.  Tony snorts as Amelia’s eyes widen and her jaw unhinges.  “Darling,” he says to Tony, leaning over the desk to kiss him lightly.  He nods at Amelia as he straightens, and Pepper snatches his attention away before he can peek at the blueprint.

 

“When are you two leaving for Sicily?” she asks as Tony finishes ad goes to get his jacket and gloves.

 

“One week,” Steve replies, “We’ll be gone for—”

 

“Just a little while,” Tony interrupts, smiling cheekily.

 

“Tony,” Steve sighs, “You haven’t told her yet?”

 

“Oh God, how long will you _really_ be gone?”

 

“Four months,” Steve says, glaring at Tony, “Seriously?  What were you going to do?  Surprise, Pepper!  You’re impossible.”

 

“Why four _months_?” Pepper asks, bewildered.

 

“We’ll only be in Sicily for a few weeks.  After that, we’re touring Europe.”

 

“And the Avengers?”

 

“Crime is at an all-time low right now with Loki in our possession.  We’ve informed the police of our departure, but they didn’t think much of it.  We’ve had Loki for over half a year now, and he hasn’t escaped again, and there hasn’t been any sign of incoming threats recently.  Clint is in charge, and, if worse comes to worse, I visited the Baxter Building the other day.”

 

“But you _are_ bringing the suit, right?  Just in case?” she directs at Tony.

 

“Don’t worry, love.  Everything will be fine.  And yes, I’ll have the suit and Steve will have the shield.  But I’m hungry, and you promised me food.”  Steve smiles and holds out his hand.

 

As they depart, Amelia leans over to whisper to Pepper, “That really is Captain America and Iron Man?”  And when Pepper nods, “And they’re _really_ a couple?”  And Pepper just laughs.

 

\--

 

Steve is sufficiently distracted with an overly excited Peter when Tony gets home that night, and so he slips by unseen, taking care to avoid contact with any of the other Avengers.  He heads down toward the holding cells, silencing his phone and fingering the paralysis device.  He lets the guard check him for weapons, who apparently thinks nothing of the device.  Tony makes a note to reprimand him on his way back.

 

He has to go through another set of guards before he reaches the camera room.  “Mister Stark,” one of the guards says before buzzing the first door open.  Tony goes through that set with a guard, who opens another door for him, and then there are the cells, which they walk past until they reach the end of the hallway and Loki’s room.  The guard goes through a series of locks and combinations before the first door opens, and then Tony has to wait for that door to close before he puts his fingers to the second one and it slides open.

 

Loki is lying down when he enters, and Tony swallows the lump in his throat, taking his hands from his pockets.  Loki looks over, blinks, and sits up slowly, brow furrowed in either confusion or curiosity, Tony can’t tell.

 

“Hi,” Tony says by way of greeting before pacing in a few steps and stopping again.

 

“Hello,” Loki says quietly, watching him closely, “How can I help you?”

 

“I’ve heard some interesting things recently.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“You need to understand something.”  Loki smirks, and Tony refuses the temptation to finger the device again.  “Whatever you think _this_ is,” he says, motioning between them, which immediately puts a frown on Loki’s face, “Stop thinking it.  Because there is _nothing_ here.  Not only have you attacked _me_ , but you’ve _stolen_ my technology, and you’ve attacked _my Steve_.”  His says this last bit slowly and firmly.  “ _No one_ goes after him, even if they have some sick, twisted fantasy about me.”  Loki is standing in a heartbeat, towering and glowering.  Tony holds his ground, eyes narrowing.  “Give someone else your attention because _I don’t want it._ ”  This seems to put Loki in his place, for he steps back, a broken expression taking over his face, and Tony holds his gaze a moment longer before dropping his eyes.

 

He stands for a second before starting toward the door, and as he presses his fingers to the door, Loki speaks, “I’m sorry.”  But Tony doesn’t dare respond.

 

\--

 

Tony waves as Happy retreats, and Steve rolls his eyes.  “I don’t understand why we couldn’t just use a _regular_ airport.”

 

“Because where’s the fun in that?  C’mon, I love my jet.  It makes me happy.”

 

“You just love it because you can take your car.”

 

“It’s _yours_ , actually.”

 

“Oh, whatever.”  He pushes Tony toward the stairs, and, before long, they’re in the air.  “So, you really got clearance to land this on each country we’re going to?”

 

“Along with rooms for our doting pilot and attendant.  Thank you, Ashlee.  Isn’t she lovely?”

 

Steve reaches over and takes the tumbler of scotch from Tony.  “Ashlee, Mister Stark is not to ever be served alcohol again,” he says, glaring steadily at Toy.

 

“Duly noted, Mister Rogers.  And can I get you anything else?”

 

“Keep his scotch coming.  I’ll have a soda,” Tony answers.

 

“I can’t get drunk,” Steve reminds, “And you’re not supposed to drink _at all_.”

 

“I know,” Tony mutters before he suddenly brightens, “You could spank me.”

 

“You make me wish I’d never done that sometimes,” Steve blushes.

 

“I’m still holding you to shield sex, as well.”

 

“Mhm.”

 

They spend the plane ride chattering away until Tony goes to hunt down a stack of board games after Steve horrifies him by revealing he’s never played any, and they’re just finishing up a hilarious game of SpongeBob Monopoly, with Tony swearing to introduce him also to Nickelodeon cartoons, when the pilot announces their arrival.  The jet is left in a sectioned off area, and Steve packs the car while Tony shakes hands with the manager.  Their pilot and attendant take another car Tony stole from the Avengers garage, and they go their separate ways.

 

“We need to food shop,” Steve reminds as he leans his head back, “We’re going to be here for a month, and I’m not letting you take us out all the time.”

 

“Can you even cook?” Tony teases, and Steve sticks his tongue out in response.

 

It’s hard for Tony to keep his attention on the road with this beautiful man beside him.  Steve is the picture of perfection, at the moment, in his snug jeans, battered red Converse, white t-shirt, and brown leather jacket.  His massive muscles stretch and shift beneath the thin fabric of his clothes, his _blue_ eyes are hidden by Ray-Ban aviators, and his blonde hair is flawlessly parted, though little strands jump away occasionally in the warm wind.  His fingers tap a rhythm on his thigh, and he hums softly to himself.  Tony is mesmerized, but he forces his gaze to the road regardless.

 

“Are you gonna go crazy without Jarvis and work?” Steve voices suddenly, looking over at him.  Tony smiles shyly, and Steve laughs.  “It’s okay.  I kind of figured you would.  I have my books and sketch pad anyway.  How’s my gun coming?”

 

“Nearly there, though I left that in the lab.”

 

“That’s probably best.  We don’t want to piss off Europe.”

 

“Mm.”  Tony reaches for the radio dial, clicking through until he finds Steve’s favorite soft rock station, and Steve beams.  He doesn’t usually know any of the songs, but he’s said it reminds him of the type of music he listened to when he was younger, and so Tony always makes a point to play it when their conversations die.  He’s been hunting down music from the 40s recently, as well, for a Christmas present, which is approaching rather quickly.

 

The house is beautiful, in Steve’s opinion.  It’s two floors and looks to be almost entirely out of windows.  A balcony curls around the second floor and a porch around the front, and the house faces away from the street and toward the soft sand and thunderous waves.  Steve is silent the whole way in, gawking and staring around.  Tony laughs at him, but then they open the bedroom door, and they’re both silenced.

 

It’s positioned in the corner of the house, and two walls of windows form the corner, giving them a gorgeous view of the beach.  The enormous white bed is opposite these, close to the door, and a flat screen sits on the other wall.  “Tony,” Steve says softly, “Wow.”

 

They spend the next hour or so putting away their things before they go back out to food shop, which consists of Steve putting away all but two cereal boxes (Tony got eight), Tony groaning at the amount of healthy food, Steve dragging Tony away from the alcohol, and Tony successfully sneaking an assortment of goodies passed Steve (except he sees them back at the house and resorts to tickling Tony mercilessly).

 

After playfully fighting with each other in the kitchen and eating dinner, which involves splashing water at each other and throwing pasta around, Steve settles at the table with his sketch pad and leans his head onto his hand.  Tony has gone off to shower, claiming he feels gross from sitting in the plane all day, and Steve smiles when he hears the water turn on.  He’s so happy to be here with him, to be able to spend this time uninterrupted with the man he adores.

 

Without any warning, a desire overcomes him, surging through him strongly, and Steve stands up without even realizing what he’s doing.  He rifles through their drawers until he finds his wetsuit, and he quickly struggles into it before heading back out into the kitchen.  He scribbles a note on a blank page of his pad before padding outside where their surfboards are still strapped to the car.  Bruce apparently had had some strange affinity with surfing, said it calmed him down like nothing else, and he’d taught them the summer previous.  It had consumed Steve and Thor’s attention for nearly the entire summer.

 

And even though it’s pitch black right now, Steve still heads toward the water.  The lights from the kitchen and the bathroom guide him up to a point, but then he’s on his own, following the moonlight and stars.  The water isn’t icy like he thought it would be, and he smiles; he loves Sicily already.

 

Their house is on a private beach, and the next house is miles and miles away, and so he has this stretch of ocean all to himself.  He knows this isn’t smart, but he can’t control himself as he slowly walks out until he’s up to his waist, and then he pulls the board under him before he flattens and paddles out.

 

He pulls himself up when he’s far enough in, and he can just barely see the house from here.  Black water surrounds him, shimmering in the moonlight, and Steve almost screams when something brushes his leg.  Out of nowhere, the silvery glint of the skin of a dolphin soars past him, and he watches, eyes wide, as more and more break the surface of the water, bumping into him and singing.  He holds out his hands, and he laughs in amazement when they swim close to him and let him pat them.  They call out in unison when a wave starts to approach, and Steve flattens again, paddling away from it until the wave catches him and he jumps up, steady and strong as he surges through the wave.  Dolphins crash along on either side of him, and he can’t even believe how lucky he is.

 

He’s out there for a half hour before he hears Tony’s voice, “ _Steve_!”  His tone is sharp and drenched in fear.  He hears the front door bang shut before Tony crashes through the sand.  Another wave comes rumbling toward him, and Steve rides it far.  “ _Steve_!”

 

“I’m right here!” he calls back as he breaks the surface of the water.

 

“Don’t fucking scare me like that!  It’s fucking dark out here!  _Why_ would you think this was a good idea?”  Tony’s voice comes out like a whip, cracking through the air, and Steve recognizes the feeling in his voice.  He paddles into shallow water, Tony coming into his line of sight as he does.  He’s standing right at the water’s edge, his feet sunk into the sand, and he’s leaning forward, arms folded tightly across his chest.  He’s wearing one of _his_ t-shirts, Steve realizes, one of the larger ones that is far too long and wide on Tony, one of the ones that looks amazing on his small frame.  Tony’s breath comes fast as Steve slips off his board and hurries forward.  He plans on not touching Tony so he doesn’t ruin his shower with the salt water, but Tony clings to him as soon as he’s close.

 

“Don’t do that to me ever again,” Tony mumbles, burying his face in Steve’s wet, leathery chest.  Steve opens his mouth to say something, but the Tony steps back and shoves him in the chest.  “ _What_ were you thinking?  You could have _drowned_!”  Steve watches his face with concern, and he has to force himself still as Tony averts his eyes, shaking his head.

 

And then Tony just turns and walks off, kicking sand as he goes.  Steve isn’t sure if he’s supposed to follow him or not, but he definitely thinks he _shouldn’t_ go back in the water.  Honestly, though, he can’t think what must be so horrible about surfing at night that Tony has to freak out quite so much.

 

Steve sighs and hefts his board under his arm, trudging up toward the house.  He leaves the board leaning against the outside of the house before heading inside.  Tony isn’t in the living room or kitchen, and he’s not even in their bedroom.  Steve changes out of his wetsuit and into a pair of briefs, shorts, and a t-shirt.  The t-shirt Tony _had_ been wearing is lying crumpled on the floor, though Steve can see another drawer open, and he knows Tony has taken _another_ of his shirts.

 

He rubs his hair dry with one of the towels from the bathroom before padding upstairs.  He checks the rooms as he goes, but it’s on the balcony that he finds Tony, leaning against the railing and staring out at the water.  Steve doesn’t say anything, but he knows that Tony is aware of his presence.  Instead, he steps forward and winds his arms around Tony’s waist, dropping his chin to his shoulder, and pressing a kiss to his jaw.  Tony remains stoic for a moment before relaxing into Steve’s embrace and leaning his head against the blonde’s.

 

“I’m sorry,” Steve whispers, nuzzling Tony’s black hair.

  
“Me too,” Tony mumbles back before he pushes up his shoulder so Steve will raise his head so that he can turn in his arms.  He curls his fingers around Steve’s large forearms, and he stares up at him.  Steve smiles when he leans forward and burrows his face in Steve’s chest.  The super soldier cards his fingers through the smaller man’s hair, sighing and tightening his other arm.

 

“Tony,” he says softly, closing his eyes.

 

“Make love to me,” Tony responds, and Steve fists the hand in his hair so that he can pull lightly until Tony tips his head back, and Steve presses his mouth to Tony’s, massaging his lips slowly.  Tony’s tongue darts out, and he sucks on it until one of Tony’s hands fists in his t-shirt, and then he releases, instead parting his mouth and exploring Tony’s.  It’s a slow, deep, and long kiss.  Steve’s fingers spread to cup the back of Tony’s head, holding him close.  Finally, though, Tony pulls back, gasping for breath, and Steve nudges at his chin until he can easily access his neck.  He licks the curve of Tony’s jaw before placing a soft, wet kiss behind his ear.  Tony shudders in his arms, and Steve smirks before biting softly on his earlobe.

 

Tony squirms, bringing one hand up to fist at Steve’s t-shirt collar, and Steve laughs when he pulls their mouths back together, his other hand skillfully unbuttoning Steve’s shorts.  The zipper comes down, and Steve takes his hands back to push them and his briefs down.  Tony breaks from their kiss as Steve presses against him, hard, hot flesh, and he keens, his breath coming out in a soft whimper as his head tips back.

 

“Steve.”

 

“I know.”

 

Tony grasps for one of Steve’s hands while his other pushes down his briefs, squirming out of them.  Steve groans softly as Tony snakes his tongue around three of Steve’s fingers, never breaking their blue gaze.  When he lets them pop out with a wet sound, Steve bites at his lip, sucking it into his mouth, and Tony moans, leaning further into his touch until Steve grabs Tony’s thighs tightly and lifts him into the air.  Tony’s breath rushes out of him, and he grabs onto Steve’s shoulders, fear flashing in his eyes.  Steve just smiles and settles him on the railing, which is even to his waist, and Tony gasps, ass clenching and back arching.

 

“Is it cold?” Steve asks, smirking when he slides a finger inside, and Tony groans with pleasure, head dropping forward.

 

“Just a breeze,” he mumbles, tightening off the railing a little, and Steve steps forward, holding him close so that he feels a little more safe.

 

He stretches Tony on the railing like this, slow and easy, and, when he slips his fingers back out, Tony looks down at him with admiration shining in his eyes.  Steve tilts his head up for a kiss, breaking only to lift Tony off the railing and down onto the balcony.  It’s a motion Tony hadn’t predicted at all, not with Steve, not in the open, because he’s _Captain America_ , and he doesn’t do public affection very often, and it takes Tony’s breath away.

 

Tony reaches down to take Steve’s hand, and Steve rolls his eyes when Tony’s tongue darts out again, wetting his palm and fingers.  “Hey, you’re big,” he says in return, and Steve just chuckles before leaning down to kiss him.  He rubs his hand over his cock before pushing Tony’s thighs wider apart and lifting his ass a little so that his legs settle around Steve’s ribcage.

 

Tony’s back bends when Steve pushes through the tight ring of muscle and slowly bottoms out, struggling to keep control of his breathing.  “Tony,” he whispers, rubbing his nose against Tony’s, “Tony, I love you.”

 

“I know,” Tony mumbles, smiling wide, “And I love you.”

 

“I know.”

 

Tony just laughs and leans up to kiss Steve, his heart beating strong and sure.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave your thoughts!


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